Nov 30, 20222 min
Updated: Dec 1, 2022
Retrofitting a Residential Composting Project
Big Reuse is a non-profit, community composting project that is funded by and is part of the Department of Sanitation New York (DSNY) project for the residential drop off of food scraps. The project site is under the Queensboro Bridge in Queens (Long Island City neighborhood) with apartment complexes located within 200 feet of the site location.
Site Name: The NYC Compost Project
Ownership: Big Reuse
Location: Long Island City, NY
Start-Up: 2014 / Facility Upgrade 2017
Product: SG MOBILE® System with GORE® Cover
Input quantity: 100 tons/batch = approximately 650 TPY
No. of Heaps: 1 heap, 1 covered, 50 ft. x 26 ft. x 9 ft. each
Treatment Time: 8 weeks: 4 weeks in phase 1 - Covered; 4 weeks in phase 2 - Positive Air ASP
Aeration: On-ground Pipe
Control Parameters: Oxygen Control Mode
Input material: Source Separated Organics (Residential Drop-off) / Wood Chips & Yard Waste
Equipment: Pre-Treatment (Mixer) / Skid Steer / Mobile Screen
End Product: High Quality Finished Compost
Adding Community Value
In 2013, Sustainable Generation retrofit the existing positive air ASP, which used a compost cap, by upgrading it to the SG Mobile® System with GORE® Cover to address environmental and community concerns pertaining to odors and vector attraction.
In the fall of 2017, the facility was relocated about 200 yards further down under the Queensboro Bridge and changed from a one heap SG MOBILE® System with on-floor aeration to two (one heap and one bunker) SG MOBILE® Systems with in-ground trenching to provide clear separation of stormwater from leachate.
The SG MOBILE® System under the Queensboro Bridge
Compliance and Consistency for the Community
Of significant importance to the Big Reuse project was the SG MOBILE® System with GORE® Cover capability to comply with the state and local regulatory requirements for:
Meeting air quality standards for odor control
Meeting Vector Attraction Reduction (VAR) requirements
Producing high quality finished compost
In 2017, the facility upgrade allowed the processing capacity to nearly triple, increasing from approximately 300 TPY to 800 TPY.