New York City’s curbside composting service will be available to residents of all five boroughs beginning this Sunday, as part of a wider initiative to minimize food waste across the city and in the process, also minimize the considerable rat population.
The citywide composting mandate, already in effect in Queens and Brooklyn, will expand to include Manhattan, Staten Island, and the Bronx, on October 6, 2024. As part of the new regulation, residents are required to separate compostable food from other household trash.
The purpose of composting is to divert material that would normally end up in landfills or out on the streets, causing litter, odor, and attracting rats. Officials have credited composting with reducing rat sightings and reducing landfill waste by 260 million pounds.
Residents are also highly encouraged to use the composting service in order to dispose of their garden scraps in an environmentally proactive way. Service will take place each week throughout the year on residents’ designated recycling day.
Residential buildings will be required to provide tenants with composting bins as a means of ensuring proper separation.
For homeowners, free brown bins can be ordered from the city, but New Yorkers can also use their own 55-gallon bins, as long as they have secure lids. Bins can be lined with thin clear plastic or compostable bags to help keep them clean.
The Department of Sanitation will pick up the bins and transport the contents to composting facilities, where the compost is then sold to landscapers or distributed to home gardeners. Officials report about 60% of compost is sold and 40% is given away.
New Yorkers who are interested in learning more about the service and its details can join virtual info sessions, which can be accessed through the Department of Sanitation’s website. Building managers can also find information regarding building management sessions there.
Residents can also find composting sites near them on the site if they prefer to do food scrap drop-offs or leave their food waste in a Smart Composting Bin.
Learn more about NYC’s Compost Giveback program here.
