A curbside composting program is expanding across all five boroughs in New York City! This program, which is expected to be enforced for all New York residents in the Spring of 2025, began in Brooklyn this week with the aim of reducing greenhouse gas emissions related to food waste. As the city prepares for our participation in curbside composting, it is important that we understand what to do.
Why should I compost?
When food waste is dumped into landfills, it produces methane, which is one of the biggest contributors to global warming. Reducing methane emissions would have a significant impact on our environment as the IPCC suggests that this gas is responsible for 30-50% of the global temperature increase. Composting reduces landfill waste, which in turn reduces this potent greenhouse gas. And it’s an easy solution to implement in our daily lives as nearly ⅓ of NYC’s residential waste stream is made up of material that can be composted.
What is curbside composting?
In June 2023, the New York City Council approved a bill that requires New Yorkers to separate their food waste from regular waste, similar to how we do with recyclable items. What this means is that all residential buildings on every block in every borough will have the ability to place their composting curbside in a separate bin on their recycling day for pickup.
Brooklyn and Queens residents currently have this option, which will come to the Bronx and Staten Island in March 2024 and then to Manhattan in October 2024. Composting will then be enforced in Spring 2025.
How is that different from composting at NYU?
It’s not much different – the City just set a policy that mandates composting rather than having composting continue on a voluntary basis. Here at NYU, we already collect organics at most of NYU’s dining halls, the Kimmel Center, and at Washington Square Village and Silver Towers residential buildings. These bins are marked with a green organics label, and will accept all food and food soiled paper, compostable cups and cutlery, and coffee grounds, filters, and tea bags. These bins will not accept plastics or styrofoam.
As we gear up for the rollout in Manhattan in October 2024 and then enforcement in Spring 2025, NYU will follow this City requirement.
What will curbside composting accept?
You can place all food scraps, plant waste, and food-soiled paper in any of the city’s curbside composting bins. No need to overthink this – if it’s something that you can eat or grow, you can compost it!
What should not go in the compost bin?
Do not compost anything that should be recycled, like metal, glass, plastic, cartons, and cardboard, or other trash items like wrappers, pet waste, medical waste, diapers, foam, or hygiene products.
Where can I compost before curbside composting is enforced?
In addition to the locations at NYU, the City has installed 400 smart compost bins across the five boroughs. These bright-orange bins are available 24/7, accept the same scraps as curbside composting, and require an app called NYC Compost, which can be downloaded here. This link will also bring you to a full list of drop-off sites across all five boroughs!
How can I store my compost at home?
Compost can be stored in a freezer at home between pickups and dropoffs. DIY compost storing bins can be made of brown paper bags – like the ones from Trader Joes. Compost can be also stored in empty jumbo mayonnaise or peanut butter containers as well as ziplock bags because they are easy to clean and reuse after being emptied in a communal bin.