Project Oscar Continues in the North End

By Phil Orlandella

Since 2015, Project Oscar has been collecting composted materials and data in the North End at the Polcari Playground next to the Nazzaro Community Center.

About 30,000 pounds of food waste has been collected in the neighborhood in the wooded bins placed in the playground, tied with Jamaica Plain which is a much bigger community.

“Project Oscar named after the Sesame Street character, was created from residents’ desire to continue to be a greener city,” Neighborhood Services Department Liaison Maria Lanza told the Review.

Residents that like the program (food waste collection) wanted this service to “Continue in a bigger and better way,” Lanza noted.

The pilot program started in the North End in 2014 and expanded to numerous other neighborhoods, collecting over 100,000 pounds of food waste collectively.

It was based on the success of the composting program at Farmers’ Market. “Residents like the idea and wanted a way to recycle waste,” Lanza said.

While still operating, the fate of the project is undetermined but there is a move on to make Project Oscar a long-term project.

Residents were given a code to access the bins following some training. This prevented other people from dumping extra trash in the bins without the code.

The city has emails available for communication and to provide feedback from users.

 Currently Public Works Department picks up at locations throughout the city and will continue to do so.