Our Story

Park City Compost Initiative started as a neighborhood composting effort in the Black Rock section of Bridgeport, CT. An environmental sustainability and justice effort to reduce the polluting burden of wet food waste on the local Wheelabrator (Win-Waste) Incinerator less than a quarter mile away.

Compost was “farmed” first at the Burroughs Community Center's community gardens, then in 2021 at Captain’s Cove Seaport. From this start to the end of 2023 PCCI has collected and diverted over 40 tons of food waste and generated over 25 yards of high-quality compost for participants, community gardens, municipal services and other related nonprofit efforts.

In late 2021, realizing that food waste diversion to reduce pollution, produce valuable compost soil amendment, and reduce solid waste costs was far bigger than just the neighborhood both in terms of potential impact and interest from supporters, plans were formed to grow. Since 2021 we have been collaborating with the City of Bridgeport and related agencies to secure a site and permission to operate an expanded and more impactful aerated static pile composting process.

This effort has been supported by the Bridgeport Rotary, Bridgeport Entrepreneurial Association, Bridgeport Community Environmental Benefit Fund (Environmental Task Force as administrator) Sustainable CT, and other important supporters and funders.

In 2024 we look forward to continuing our pilot operation, expanding our education programing and progress toward a larger site for operating for greater impact and capacity.