Westchester County DEF distributes compost created at CompostED to residents of Westchester County through a series of community compost giveback events. In 2024, DEF hosted 7 events and distributed 1,682 bags of compost to over 800 residents!
DEF has 4 planned compost events throughout Earth Month in various locations across the County and on different days and times to provide maximum access. These events promote local food composting and provide valuable resources to the community.
Spring 2025 Compost Giveback Events (register below):
Date: Saturday, April 5
Time: 10 am – 2 pm
Location: Willson's Woods Park
Address: 8 Bradford Rd, Mt Vernon, NY 10553
Registration Link
Date: Sunday, April 6
Time: 10 am – 2 pm
Location: Glen Island Park
Address: Weyman Avenue, New Rochelle, NY 10805
Registration Link
Date: Wednesday, April 9
Time: 4 pm – 7 pm
Location: Household Materials Recycling Facility
Address: 15 Woods Rd., Valhalla, NY, 10595
Registration Link
Date: Sunday, April 27 - Compost Giveback and Compost Bin and Rain Barrel Sale
Time: 10 am – 2 pm
Location: Household Materials Recycling Facility
Address: 15 Woods Rd., Valhalla, NY, 10595
Registration Link for Compost Giveback ONLY: Registration Link
Note: The following link must be used to purchase a Compost Bin or Rain Barrel: https://westchester.compostersale.com/. Residents must use this link to purchase a compost bin or rain barrel. This link does not include the compost, which requires separate registration (see above).
Event Information:
- Due to limited quantities, registration is required for all events. Arrive at the time of your registration
- Each registered resident will receive two 1-cubic-foot bags of compost.
- DEF staff will be on-site to verify registration and load pre-bagged compost into residents’ vehicles.
- If you are picking up compost for another registrant, you must provide a copy or photo of a driver’s license or photo ID for each registrant that you are picking up for.
To learn more about the beneficial uses of compost, schedule a tour at CompostED by emailing:
Additional resources for compost application:
Fall compost use guide from Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency
How to Use compost from Oregon State University Extension
The CompostED program allows Westchester County to assist and support the work of food pantries, by processing expired perishable food waste. Due to its high moisture content, food waste is heavy, and the food waste which is currently collected by CompostED would otherwise have to be disposed of through a commercial waste hauler.
CompostED’s currently partners with three of the County’s largest food pantries: Feeding Westchester, Meals on Main Street of Portchester and Hope Community Services in New Rochelle. Every week, CompostED picks up food waste from these pantries in 64 gallon bins, and drops off a clean set of bins for use the following week.
Since 2021, CompostED has picked up and composted 116 tons (232,000 lbs.) of food waste from food pantries in Westchester (through August, 2024).
The majority of compost produced at CompostED is distributed back to organizations that grow food, and who donate a significant portion of their produce to those in need. These include Our New Way Garden, Hilltop Hanover Farm, Dig Farm and other community gardens.
Since 2021, CompostED distributed over 250 cubic yards of compost to these organizations and similar projects in Westchester County.
A portion of our compost is distributed to Westchester County residents at Community Compost Giveback Events to help promote and encourage participation in food scrap drop-offs throughout the County.
- The CompostED facility, located on the Grasslands Campus in Valhalla, is the County’s first small-scale food scrap composting demonstration and education site. Construction broke ground in December, 2020 and officially opened on Earth Day, 2021.
- The core mission of CompostEd is to educate residents, municipal officials and students on the science and benefits of composting.
- CompostED hosts interactive tours that engage participants with the compost process, which focus on the science behind the composting process and emphasize the benefits and uses of compost.
- The tours can accommodate up to 30 students at a time, and are approximately 1 hour 30 minutes in duration.
- If you would like to schedule a tour of the CompostED facility, please email:
CompostED is a registered-scaled compost site, with the capacity to process 2 tons (4,000 lbs.) of food scraps weekly. The 10,000 square foot site (1/4 acre), utilizes Aerated Static Pile (ASP) composting. ASP ensures aerobic conditions by amending the compost piles with oxygen, by blowing air into the piles through an aeration floor. ASP optimizes conditions inside of a compost pile, which in turn reduces odors, and accelerates the compost process. This type of system is typical of food waste compost facilities where odors are a concern, and where high energy feedstock (such as food waste) can be challenging to work with. High temperatures during the composting process kill pathogens and weed seeds. Our finished compost is screened to ¼ inch size, creating a valuable soil amendment which is suitable for a broad array of applications, including indoor and outdoor plants.
