NYC’s curbside compost program expands to all five boroughs

New York City’s compost program is now underway in all five boroughs. On Sunday, curbside compost collection began in Manhattan, the Bronx, and Staten Island, requiring buildings with four or more units to provide storage areas and labeled bins for yard and food waste collection by Department of Sanitation workers. The program’s final expansion follows its success in Queens and Brooklyn and aims to prevent rat infestations while promoting sustainability.

“Curbside composting programs have existed in the city for over a decade, but none have ever served more than 40 percent of New Yorkers — until now,” DSNY Commissioner Tisch said.

“This administration has achieved the long-standing goal of bringing composting to every corner of the five boroughs, not as a niche program, but as a free, universal, easy-to-use service — one that will divert record amounts of material from landfills. We’re protecting the environment, fighting rats, and bringing equity to the city at large.”

Residents must separate food scraps and place them in bins, which can include free brown bins from the city or their own 55-gallon bins, as long as they have secure lids. These bins are then brought to the curb on recycling day to be picked up.

Eligible composting materials include food scraps like meat, bones, dairy, prepared foods, and food-soiled paper like pizza boxes and uncoated paper plates. Yard waste includes fallen leaves and other plant materials.

After collection, DSNY transports the waste to composting facilities, where it is either sold to landscapers or distributed to home gardeners. Officials say that roughly 60 percent of compost is sold and 40 percent is given away, as reported by Gothamist.

Starting in April, the city will penalize those who fail to compost properly. Fines begin at $100 for buildings with less than eight units and increase to $300 for larger buildings.

Following a successful Queens pilot program enrolling all residential buildings in a weekly curbside composting pilot program in 2022, Mayor Eric Adams proposed the city’s first-ever mandatory composting program. In June 2023, the City Council approved legislation requiring all New Yorkers to separate food waste from regular trash.

For more information on the compost program, DSNY is hosting several online informational sessions, which can be found here.

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