City to Test Community Composting in North End

One of the site containers for the city’s pilot community compost program is near the Nazzaro Community Center, 30 North Bennet Street.

Mayor Marty Walsh noted in a press release that this fall, the city will be collecting residential food waste at this site.

“Composting is important for Boston’s growing urban agriculture movement and meeting our waste reduction goals,” the Mayor said

“Project Oscar” is geared toward demonstrating Boston’s commitment to composting and willingness to try new approaches,” according to Mayor Walsh.

The project, the result of a public-private partnership, consists of key-pad locked containers for collecting food scraps in the North End. The project is underway and will continue through November 30 and is for use to residents living near the containers.

Residents will be asked to go through a brief online training and provide intermittent feedback throughout the pilot.

Participants will be given a code that allows them to unlock the bins and drop-off food scraps at their convenience.

The three farmer’s market collection sites is a spinoff of last year’s pilot and runs through the end of the market season.

This year’s program is experimenting with three new markets and with support from City Soil and the Department of Public Works providing hauling service, the city continues to explore ways to make this program fiscally and environmentally sustainable.

To participate in Project Oscar, you must be a resident of the North End. Interested residents can email Oscar@Boston.gov or call the Environment Department at 617-635-3850.