Queens

NYC Touts ‘Nation's Largest' Compost Program Debuting This Fall in Queens

The sanitation department will deliver composting bins to Queens addresses of 10 or more units ahead of the October program kickoff

Bryant Park Compost collection bins for organic material from park landscaping and restaurant, New York City. (Photo by: Lindsey Nicholson/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
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What to Know

  • NYC announced its biggest composting initiative yet, debuting the first week in October to all 2.2 million residents living in Queens
  • There's no sign-up necessary for the borough-wide weekly pickup service, the city announced; collection dates will be announced by mid-September
  • Sanitation crews will deliver composting bins to all addresses in Queens of 10 or more units in the lead up to Oct. 3

A brand new composting program is heading to Queens this fall, with weekly curbside service offered to all of its 2 million residents, the mayor announced Monday.

Calling it the "nation's largest curbside composting program," NYC unveiled the specifics of its first borough-wide program set to hit the streets October 3.

"New York City has developed new extreme routing efficiencies for this program, allowing DSNY to service Queens — the geographically largest of the five boroughs — at the lowest cost-per district of any curbside composting program to date," the city's announcement read.

DSNY said the weekly collection schedule will be posted to its website by mid-September. Compost pick-up will be offered through the end of the calendar year when the program pauses for the winter, returning in late March.

One of the best parts of the new program? There's no sign-up required.

All 2.2 million residents of Queens are guaranteed access to the program. The city's sanitation department said crews will be out delivering bins to all addresses in the borough with 10 or more units ahead of the program's debut. And anyone with an old DSNY-issued or labeled bin of their own can leave it curbside.

Requests for compost bins can by made online up until October 1 here.

“We looked at what had worked in the past, as well as what hadn’t, and developed a smart, innovative solution that is going to be easier for the people of New York City, harder for rats, and better for the planet," said DSNY Commissioner Jessica Tisch.

The city hopes that by revamping its composting efforts, food waste secured in compost bins will attract fewer rats and other pests known to frequent sidewalks.

Queens won't be the only borough getting a compost boost. The mayor also announced Monday plans to place 250 "smart" composting bins citywide this fall. Each of the bins will be publicly accessible and can be opened using a smartphone app.

“Since the start of the year, we have provided funding to put organics collection in every public school, added 250 smart composting bins to our streets, launched a citywide containerization pilot, and increased litter basket collection. And this is just the beginning," Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi said.

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