From Food Scraps To Local Impact: Saratoga Springs’ Community Compost Program Returns For A Second Year After Landmark Pilot Success

Registration for the 2026 Saratoga Springs Community Compost Program is now open and will remain available until all spots are filled. Register now! www.pitneymeadows.org/community-compost

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY –  What started as a small-scale pilot to test whether a community-centered composting system could work in Saratoga Springs has grown into something far more meaningful: a shared commitment to reducing waste, caring for land, and turning everyday actions into collective impact. 

Pitney Meadows Community Farm, in partnership with Sustainable Saratoga, is proud to announce the return of the Saratoga Springs Community Compost Program for a second season. What began as a resident-supported initiative through Saratoga Springs’ Participatory Budgeting process has grown into a compelling example of community-led climate action, following a highly successful pilot year. Registration is now open for the 2026 season, welcoming up to 150 households into a shared, hands-on effort to reduce waste, restore soil, and strengthen the local food system.

Launched in Spring 2025, the Saratoga Springs Community Compost Program quickly demonstrated strong participation and measurable environmental impact. In its first season, the pilot exceeded expectations, serving 107 households (equivalent to 268 community members) and diverting more than five tons (over 10,000 pounds) of food scraps from the landfill.

“These outcomes show that there is real momentum in our community around reducing food waste,” said Kelsey Trudell, Executive Director of Sustainable Saratoga “The 2026 program builds directly on what we learned in year one.”

Turning Waste Into Resource

Food waste accounts for nearly 40% of the U.S. food supply and approximately 22% of municipal solid waste, according to national estimates. When food decomposes in landfills without oxygen, it produces methane, a greenhouse gas far more potent than carbon dioxide, while nutrients are lost instead of returned to the soil.

The Saratoga Springs Community Compost Program addresses this challenge at a neighborhood scale. Using a vertical drum composting system located on-site at Pitney Meadows Community Farm, participants’ food scraps are mixed with carbon-rich wood chips and processed aerobically. The result is stable, finished compost that improves soil health, retains moisture, and supports food production.

That compost is used directly on Pitney Meadows’ Community Garden and agricultural fields, where food is grown for public programming, local families, food pantries, senior centers, and shelters, creating a closed-loop system that connects daily household habits to tangible community outcomes.

“This program makes the invisible visible,” said Brooke McConnell, Executive Director of Pitney Meadows Community Farm. “People can see where their scraps go, learn how compost is made, and how healthy soil supports resilient food systems. That connection is powerful… and it sticks.”

A Pilot That Sparked Momentum

Interest in the 2025 pilot was immediate and sustained. More than 160 people expressed interest, exceeding the program’s initial capacity. Multiple onboarding phases welcomed new participants, each including required compost training, system tours, and educational sessions.

Throughout the season, the program extended beyond food scrap collection. Educational offerings included a backyard composting workshop, school and student tours, professional development visits, tabling at community events, and the creation of a public-facing educational video about this program. The season concluded with a community Pumpkin Smash, a hands-on event designed to divert seasonal waste while inviting families to engage directly with the composting process.

The Saratoga Springs Community Compost Program, modeled after the successful Bethlehem Municipal Compost Program and developed in consultation with ANCA’s Compost for Good, continues to gain regional recognition as a leader in community-scale composting. The program also benefits from technical guidance and support from Loving Earth Compost, whose expertise has helped strengthen program operations and compost quality.

 In 2025, the program was selected as one of four on-farm composting demonstration model sites in the North Country through a grant awarded to Compost for Good by the Pollution Prevention Institute. As part of the demonstration site designation, the Saratoga Springs Community Compost Program received a stipend to support public education efforts, including an upcoming training session and a summer workshop featuring a panel of local compost experts. Compost for Good completed an initial site visit in November 2025, including a microscopic assessment of the active compost culverts, and will conduct a second evaluation in summer 2026 to measure progress and continue refining best practices.

2026 Season of Community Composting

Based on participant feedback and operational success, the 2026 program includes:

• Expanded capacity: Up to 150 households
• Extended season: mid-April to mid-November
• Home food scrap collection bin provided to every household
• Expanded accepted materials: Meat and dairy now included
• Flexible drop-off hours: Tuesday–Saturday, dawn to dusk
• Annual registration fee: $80 per household
• Free scholarships available to ensure accessibility
• Participation is open to all, regardless of city residency 

All participants are required to attend a compost training at the start of the season, covering accepted materials, home collection tips, and the environmental impact of composting.

A Growing Culture of Stewardship

The Saratoga Springs Community Compost Program is more than a waste diversion effort. It is a model for how communities can care for shared resources through small, consistent actions — and how education and infrastructure can work together to support sustainable habits.

“Every bucket of food scraps dropped off represents someone choosing to recover valuable resources,” said Trudell. “That choice adds up, not just in pounds diverted, but in awareness, connection, and care for the place we live.”

Registration Now Open

Registration for the 2026 Saratoga Springs Community Compost Program is now open and will remain available until all 150 spots are filled.

Community members, neighbors, and residents of surrounding towns and cities looking for an accessible, community-centered way to compost food scraps, while contributing to a shared local sustainability effort, are encouraged to register early!

Register today at www.pitneymeadows.org/community-compost