Patchogue wins DEC food‑scrap pilot funding; village to recruit 100 households for curbside collection pilot

Village of Patchogue trustees were told May 27 that the village has been awarded a New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) grant to run a food‑scrap pilot program.

The pilot will enroll roughly 100 households and provide each participating household with a small plastic bin to collect food scraps. The village plans to establish about six public collection receptacles around the village; participating households will transport their bins to the nearest receptacle. Department of Public Works staff will collect material from the receptacles and transfer the food scraps to Long Island Compost, a local anaerobic digestion facility, which will accept the material at no cost to the village, officials said. The grant also funds a vehicle for DPW collections and an educational component led by Citizens Campaign for the Environment.

Trustees and staff described enrollment as limited and selective: collection points will use a card or fob system so only pilot participants can access the receptacles. Village staff said the selection process and formal enrollment procedures will be announced later; the transcript does not specify exact selection criteria or a start date. Organizers said Citizens Campaign for the Environment will lead outreach and education for participants.

Officials framed the pilot as a test to inform expansion: if the pilot proves workable, staff said the village could consider a permanent program or broader roll‑out. Details still to be decided include the final participant‑selection method, schedule for collection rounds, and how the pilot’s results will be evaluated.