More on D.C. Compost

In fact, there is a municipal compost pile in the District of Columbia. It's about twice the size of the bulk pile at American Plant Food in Bethesda. But never has there been a compost heap more difficult to find or better hidden from public view.

This pile is located behind (on the north side) of the Public Works vehicle lot and trash collection facility at New Jersey Avenue and K Street SE. This is in close proximity to the new baseball park, surrounded by scruffy commercial and utility operations of one kind or another, just off the Southeast-Southwest Expressway, South Capitol Street and the railroad tracks. In stunning contrast, there are also brand new condominium high-rises opening just across the street.

Coming from Northwest D.C., I took the I-395 tunnel under the mall to the expressway going east and exited on 6th Street SE. I turned left when I should have turned right. I think if you turn right on 6th Street and follow it to K, you can make another right and go four blocks to the Public Works lot.

What you will find there is a fantastic assortment of dump trucks, snow plows, street cleaners and salt spreaders, as well as many dozens of private vehicles. There is hardly a human being to be found. The place to enter is off 2nd Street at K. You will be facing two very imposing ramps, one going up and to the left into the trash dumping area (a smoke stack towers overhead), the other going down into a dark and somewhat scary parking area. Take the down ramp, through the garage to the other side of the building.

When you emerge back into the light, you have to make a 180-degree turn to the right, around a line of parked vehicles and back along the north side of the building. You will see piles of sand, shredded wood and compost in the background. The compost is all the way in the rear.

Unfortunately, a front-end loader was blocking the drive into the compost area. I had to take my 1997 Toyota Corolla somewhat "off road" to get back there. But I did find the compost. It's compost alright, although littered with bits of plastic, bottle caps and other trash. The city apparently does not make much effort to screen the compost.

I found the piles after locating two employees who were testing a street washing machine. They invited me to "take all you want," although the city's website says there's a limit of 3 30-pound bags per customer. Does that apply to the mulch and the sand as well? There are no signs posted.

To get home, I followed K Street back to 3rd Street SE, where there's a ramp onto the expressway west-bound.

Compost, shredded wood mulch and sand are located on the north side of the building

There is lots of plastic debris in the compost

But this is genuine compost. Where it comes from and how often it is replenished is still to be learned.

Perfectly usable mulch of shredded wood

Also sand for your gardening needs.

I filled most of a small trash can with compost.0

Comments

[Daniel Malec]

So, is this compost pile at New Jersey Avenue and K St. SE still there and accessible? I can't find compost anywhere in DC. Please help!

[Meredith]

Where can I take my kitchen scraps? Are there community groups that compost and are looking for more kitchen scraps? Our freezer is piling up with onion skins!

[Ms. Krieger]

So, any update on where this compost comes from and who administers it?

[Michael G.]

Who can residents contact to get this information out to the public?

[Jacob]

also, the PG county park police will let you pick up their horse manure for free if you call ahead and make an appointment. it's out in mitchellville, and you have to get out there early to beat the manure spreader (which sifts in a lot of sawdust), but it's a fantastic deal. when i went out there recently, they directed me to a pile that had been aging for half a year and was pretty much carbon dirt. :) dunno if the DC park police have a similar deal, but it'd be worth a call to ask.