Three times a week, Helena residents’ compost will be picked up and transported to the Rikers Island compost facility by the Department of Sanitation. Helena’s new neighbor will also have textile and battery disposal bins in their trash rooms, letting residents recycle and compost easily without leaving their building.

The Helena’s green roof.

Residents of The Helena will be able to separate their used coffee grounds and table scraps and dispose of them in a biodegradable paper bag in communal bins on each floor of the building that will collect the organic waste. The compostable trash will then be picked up and taken to a facility where it will be transformed into fertilizer rather than clogging up a landfill.

The composting plan, which will start over the next few months, is a trial test for The Durst Organization. Should the program prove successful, the developers will expand it to the forthcoming green tower slated for construction next to The Helena. The 32 story, 750 unit building will join The Helena’s compost plan, and is slated to open in 2015. Together, the Durst composting plan will be the largest residential composting effort in the city.

+ The Helena

Via DNA Info