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Garden Club Urges Morris Township to Start Food Composting; Officials Say Program Is Under Review
Summary
A Garden Club of Morristown representative urged the township to begin a food‑composting program; township officials and the environmental commission said they are exploring options and will meet with the New Jersey DEP.
A Garden Club of Morristown member urged the Morris Township Committee on Aug. 20 to begin a municipal food composting program, saying composting reduces methane emissions, improves soil and can save disposal costs; committee members said they are exploring options and will consult the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
“Sally Moscaralla, a resident and chair of the conservation committee for the Garden Club of Morristown, told the committee she favors a program that starts with at least two drop‑off sites and noted nearby New Jersey municipalities and 95 towns statewide already have programs,” the public comment record shows.
Moscaralla told the committee that food waste in landfills generates methane and quoted a figure saying methane is “80 times more toxic than CO2 over a 20‑year time frame.” She described household examples and economic benefits and offered volunteer support from the Garden Club.
Deputy Mayor Grayzel told Moscaralla the township and the environmental commission are “seriously looking at” composting, including DEP compliance, and said the township will meet with DEP and continue exploring third‑party drop‑off services as a practical starting point. A different committee member described having backyard composting at home for years and said larger community collection requires heat‑treatment or other protocols to prevent pest or disease transmission in garden reuse.
Environmental commission chair Brian Morgan (referenced by speakers) is leading the commission’s effort to develop a program in coordination with township staff and the Department of Public Works. Committee members encouraged the Garden Club’s offer to help and noted neighboring towns (examples named in comment) that already operate programs.
No formal resolution or vote was taken; officials described the current status as exploratory and directed staff and the environmental commission to continue consultations with DEP and report back to the governing body.
The committee thanked Moscaralla and encouraged residents to offer input as staff develops options.
