Have you recently noticed a brown bin or a bin with a composting sticker in your building, this is because the Department of Sanitation New York (DSNY) has started enforcing residential composting this month. This means you have to separate your food scraps from your trash, similar to the way you separate out paper and plastic recycling. Many New Yorkers are excited to be able to compost from their homes, and our outreach team is here to help support you so here are some tips for an easy compost pickup day:
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If you're lining the bin, use a compostable bag, paper bag, or clear plastic bag - no black bags.
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Set it on the curb, close to the street near your other bins, where it's easily visible. Put it out weekly on your recycling day.
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If you're using your own compost bin (instead of a brown bin), put a compost decal on it to designate that there are food scraps and yard waste inside.
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Separate food scraps from trash in your home using a countertop kitchen container, reusable bags or tupperware in your freezer, or other dedicated container.
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Talk to your neighbors! They may not know that there are so many things you can compost. Even cooked and raw food, meat, bones, dairy, and food-soiled paper can go in the bin!
If your compost bin isn't emptied, call 311 after 8 AM the day after your missed collection. To report buildings that don’t compost, visit https://on.nyc.gov/NotComposting.
Blog written by CUNY Spring Forward Intern William.