Curbside Composting Rolling Out Citywide
Curbside Composting is the Department of Sanitation’s free weekly collection service for food scraps, food-soiled paper products, and yard waste. ALL residential buildings are eligible to participate. The collected material is turned into renewable energy or compost (a soil amendment that adds nutrients back into the soil). Your collection day for composting will likely be the same as your recycling day (this is the case currently for Queens!). Learn more about the program at nyc.gov/curbsidecomposting.
QUEENS: March 27, 2023
BROOKLYN: October 2, 2023
THE BRONX & STATEN ISLAND: March 25, 2024
MANHATTAN: October 7, 2024
QUEENS: Set out your compost at the curb in a labeled bin with a secure lid or in your DSNY brown compost bin after 6pm the night before your collection day. Compost bins with secure lids keep food scraps secure from rodents and other pests, compared to breakable trash bags. You can use a clear plastic liner to help keep your bin clean. NOTE: Bins must be 55 gallons or less. Order a free composting bin decal at nyc.gov/CompostingBinDecal.
The city has proposed mandatory yard waste separation during peak months (March through July, September through November) starting when your borough receives curbside composting service. DSNY will hold a virtual public hearing on the proposed rule at 10 a.m. on April 27.
Waiting for curbside composting service in your borough or looking for an alternative option? Use food scrap drop offs and smart bins!
All across the city, New Yorkers are helping their neighbors turn food scraps and yard waste into compost. Find your local food scrap drop off site at: nyc.gov/dropfoodscraps.
The NYC Smart Composting Bin program is expanding throughout the city. New Yorkers can use these bins to drop off food scraps 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, helping reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills. You can open the Smart Composting Bins using a simple app. Bins are emptied regularly and scraps are composted to beautify green spaces across the city. Download the NYC Smart Compost app for free for Android and iOS.