Thursday, October 1, 2026
Families in Sea Cliff have been participating in a resident-run community composting pilot program since December.
The pilot program is led by residents Laura Russo, former co-chair of the village’s Environmental Conservation Committee, and Fred Black, newly appointed chair. Ten families participate weekly, collecting compostable materials to be combined in a three-bin system at a drop site outside of Sea Cliff.
Composting is the oxygen-aided process of decomposition of organic materials by microorganisms, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Organic materials include fruit and vegetable scraps, yard clippings and leaves. Compost can be used to bolster soil health and provide nutrients for growing plants.
A three-bin system features three compartments. Compostable materials are first mixed and left to aerate in the first section before being moved to the next to further the decomposition process. The pilot program is being kept to ten families, and the drop off site is not open to the public. This composting effort is separate from ECC operations.
“This three-bin system is limited,” Russo said. “It can't take, like, 50 families contributing to it. It would just be overwhelmed, and the stuff wouldn't have enough time to break down before the bins were filled.”
“If we can encourage people to be interested enough to do it at home,” he said, “to me, that's the way to go.”
Russo said that she initially hoped for composting to take place on a larger scale, potentially located at the Department of Public Works. Mayor Elena Villafane explained that the village is not currently equipped for this kind of system and that contracts do not allow for it.
Accommodating composting at DPW would change the department’s scope of work, which would also change the union contract. The union contract was renegotiated no more than a year and a half ago.
According to the EPA, food waste accounts for nearly 22 percent of all municipal solid waste, or garbage, nationwide. Yard trimmings make up roughly 12 percent. Less garbage generated by residents can lead to lower costs for municipalities when it comes to transporting waste.
“If you can cut down the waste stream,” Black said, “you're going to save money, and obviously there's benefits to composting.”
Some environmental benefits of using compost, according to the EPA, include increasing soil fertility, reducing soil erosion, boosting agriculture resilience, and helping to improve water quality.
Villafane noted that Sea Cliff has been a historically environmentally conscious community. New York State named the village a bronze certified climate smart community in 2025.
“Composting is something that we as a community,” Villafane said, “should really be embracing.” She added that while the village is not currently in a position to start an organized composting program, it is something that could happen eventually.
Black said that the families participating in the pilot program are “really into it” and emphasized that people can compost at home. He added that home composters can use a compost tumbler. A tumbler is a sealed container that users can spin to facilitate aeration and speed up decomposition.
While this program is separate from the ECC, the commission is currently working to spread awareness about pollutants that get into storm drains ending up in Hempstead Harbor.
