New York City continues organics collection expansion

The New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) is continuing expansion of its NYC Organics program, what the city calls the largest curbside collection program of food scraps, food-soiled paper and yard waste in the nation. This week, the department began collecting material from residents living in Riverdale, Fieldston, Baychester, Eastchester and Woodlawn in the Bronx. 

Additionally, the department is beginning to distribute brown NYC Organics collection bins to residents in Flushing, College Point, Whitestone, Jamaica Estates, Hollis Hills, Hillcrest, Fresh Meadows, Utopia and Pomonok. Curbside collection will begin in those areas the week of Oct. 2.

This is a part of department’s ongoing expansion of the NYC Organics program. All single-family homes and buildings with nine or fewer residential units are automatically enrolled in the voluntary program.

Residential buildings with 10 or more units may apply to participate. All eligible households, those in buildings with nine or fewer units, will receive a starter kit that includes an indoor kitchen container, an instruction brochure and either their own outdoor brown bin or a larger one to share for the building. Residents place food scraps and food-soiled paper products into their kitchen container. Residents then transfer the material to their outdoor bin for DSNY collection on their pickup day. Yard waste may be placed directly in the bin, or placed at the curb in open, unlined containers or in paper lawn and leaf bags.

The program, which collects organic waste and turns it into usable compost or renewable energy, is now available to more than 2.5 million city residents. The Department of Sanitation is working to make the program available to all New Yorkers by the end of 2018, with either curbside service or convenient neighborhood drop-off sites.

“Organic material—food scraps, food-soiled paper and yard waste—make up about a third of what we throw away, but it’s not trash,” says Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia. “Putting your food scraps and yard waste to good use decreases the amount of garbage going to landfills and helps create a greener and healthier New York City. We thank all of the residents currently participating in organic waste collection and look forward to welcoming millions more New Yorkers to the program this year.”

Residents who do not currently receive curbside collection may visit food scrap drop-off sites offered throughout all five boroughs. To help bring the program to all residents by the end of 2018, the drop off locations will be expanded in 2017.  For more information, visit nyc.gov/organics.