Bloomberg Supports Garbage Disposers

From a 2001 League of Conservation Voters mayoral candidate questionnaire:

17. Will you support measures to increase food waste composting?

I believe that in lower density areas of the City, food waste and yard waste composting should be encouraged on a voluntary basis. In the higher density areas, the threat of vermin and a lack of storage may make composting impractical. There are alternatives. The use of food waste disposal systems has now been legalized in the City. Improvements in design of these systems minimizes the impact upon our sewer system. As long as waste treatment facilities can assure that our harbor and bay waters are not endangered by use of garbage grinders, their use should be encouraged. Efforts by private charities such as City Harvest, in cooperation with area schools, institutions and restaurants, further minimizes waste and helps those in need by delivering excess food to distribution points for those who need it.

We wonder whether Bloomberg still holds this very reasonable opinion or if he has been swayed by the exaggerations of his Department of Environmental Protection. Hopefully the mayor retains his measured optimism and will support of our commercial grinder pilot program (or at least will lessen the DEP’s intransigence to such a test.) It is also important to point out that Bloomberg quite rightfully sees the limitations of composting – a sacred cow for some environmentalists – in an urban setting.