Composting Proposal Eyes Municipal Mulch

Leaves and branches that fall from New Haven trees might someday be revived as municipally managed mulch and top soil, thanks to a Westville alder’s new legislative proposal.

That proposal comes from Upper Westville Alder Darryl Brackeen, Jr. 

As part of Tuesday night’s latest full Board of Alders meeting, Brackeen submitted a ​“communication” regarding a proposed order that, if passed by the full Board of Alders, would create a city service to collect and compost fallen leaves and branches for a fee.

Brackeen envisions the service operating seasonally, in tandem with the city’s current leaf and branch collection system. According to the city’s new director of climate and sustainability, Steve Winter, the city currently composts leaves and tree matter by working with a contractor.

Brackeen’s plan would entail city government acquiring a vacuum and tub grinder, which would be used to gather and break down the leaves and branches into mulch. 

“Residents would rake the leaves towards the ends of the sidewalk or road and [the vacuum] would suction it up into the bucket. That eliminates the need to waste bags,” he explained.

Property owners could pay a fee for the city to vacuum the leaves and branches, and the city could also sell the resulting mulch and compost ​“at a reasonable price, less expensive than a private service,” as the text of the order says. 

Such a system would generate revenue for the city and potentially pay for the cost of the required machinery, Brackeen told the Independent on Tuesday.

The plan is ​“based on what the town of Hamden does,” Brackeen elaborated. ​“We want to figure out how we can do the same here.” 

He said that a number of his Westville constituents have been advocating for a municipal tree-compost system like the one he’s outlined.

The order has yet to be assigned to a committee, which would review the proposal before the full Board of Alders votes on the matter.

Winter told the Independent in a separate interview that he agrees with Brackeen that there’s potential for a branch and leaf composting service to benefit the city in multiple ways.

“We as a city need to reorient our approach towards materials, particularly organic materials, and view them as a resource. So I think there is a lot of value in composting and approved recycling, both for making productive use out of all of this material and to help the city’s fiscal challenges. There’s definitely an opportunity to save money if we do it intelligently,” Winter said.

Winter argued that the city should work with neighboring towns to manage organic waste collectively: ​“We really do need a regional approach to materials management.”

He added that, if possible, governments should avoid a composting system that relies heavily on machinery that may be difficult to maintain or may run on fossil fuels. ​“One approach that I know West Haven has been looking at is aerated static piles,” which involves piling organic waste in such a way that air can escape from the bottom of the pile, allowing the compost to more quickly decompose without being mixed around. He noted that there may be a need for machine-powered composting in some circumstances, such as woodchip production.

When asked about the potential of using an aerated static pile method, Brackeen responded, ​“The more ideas the better. … This is a very open conversation.”

In the meantime, local private organizations including Peels & Wheels, Common Ground school, and the Stevens Street Community Garden offer compost services, primarily for food waste.

See below for the full text of Brackeen’s composting proposal.

AN ORDER REQUESTING THE CITY OF NEW HAVEN TO CREATE A REVENUE-GENERATING COMPOSTING PLAN THAT INCLUDES ACQUIRING EQUIPMENT (A TUB GRINDER AND VACUUM UNITS) TO COLLECT LEAVES DURING YEARLY LEAF REMOVAL PICKUPS.

WHEREAS: Many residents in the City of New Haven strongly support and encourage the creation of a self-subsidizing budget with simultaneously environmentally sustainable implications; and

WHEREAS: residents encourage the purchase of machinery to pick up leaves off the street during a certain time period; and

WHEREAS: a city-run composting and tree grinding service for fallen tree parts, lawn debris, leaves, and a composting center for food scraps will be a very positive service for the environment and for property owners; and

WHEREAS: it would be especially beneficial if property owners could pay a fee to have the appropriate city department vacuum up leaves that have been raked, enclosed, and placed near the curb during the time of yearly leaf removal pickups; and

WHEREAS: residents and businesses can purchase mulch and compost from the city-run center at a reasonable price, less expensive than a private service would encourage more residents to purchase mulch and compost from the city-run center, would encourage more residents to participate; and

WHEREAS: the Town of Hamden has increased its budget to purchase a tub grinder. (New Haven Independent article, ​“There’s Gold In Them Thar Hill,” Aug. 5, 2022, and Town of Hamden meeting Minutes August 1 and August 15, 2022).

THEREFORE, BE IT ORDERED that the City of New Haven and all appropriate city departments, including New Haven Parks/Public Works, develop a revenue-generating strategy that includes acquiring equipment for composting and the collection of leaves off the street during yearly leaf removal pickups.