Turn All Your Kitchen Waste into 'Black Gold'

The City of Middletown is offering a community sale of compost bins and food digester green cones.

Fall is an opportune time to start a compost pile. All those falling leaves can be composted into “black gold” come next year. It is also an easy way to reduce waste, help the environment and save money on trash disposal and gardening materials. Let’s get composting!

Composting turns your yard and kitchen waste into an organic humus that will improve your soil and feed your plants. Made from 51 percent recycled plastic, the Garden Gourmet Compost Bins cost $55 each and hold 11 cubic feet of material. It is a square bin that can be easily assembled. Information can be found at www.gardengourmet.com.

Green Cones are solar-powered food digesters that accept organic materials that a compost bin can’t. These include meats, fish, dairy products, bones, shells and corn cobs. There is no final compost product with the Green Cone. It digests the food and nutrients seep into the soil.   

Bins and cones can be ordered through the Department of Public Works through Oct. 11. Pick-up will be held after Oct. 17 during normal working hours (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays) at Middletown City Hall, Room 210.

For information go to www.greencone.com. Green Cones are $110.

Both these items are on display at the Department of Public Works in City Hall. Order forms can be found at www.cityofmiddletown.com or call (860) 344-3526 or email kim.orourke@cityofmiddletown.com.