Recycling FAQ’s

All about recycling and composting

WHAT can I recycle and HOW?

Why Compost?

Food scraps, food-soiled paper and yard waste comprise a third of the trash New Yorkers throw away! By participating in Curbside Composting, you help us to:

Keep your neighborhoods clean and healthy by:

·       Placing food waste in brown bins instead of in bags at the curb.

·       This reduces the chance of bags breaking open, causing spillage or litter.

·       Reducing rodents and pests access to food waste.

·       The brown bins have a latching lid that makes it harder for pests to get at the food waste than if it were in a bag at the curb.

Make NYC more self-sufficient and more resilient by:

·       Reducing waste being sent to far away landfills

·       Creating compost, which nourishes our soil for healthier parks and gardens

·       Creating clean, renewable energy, which can be used to heat or power homes

Just like with recycling, NYC Curbside Composting allows us to create a resource out of our waste. The choice is yours. You can either place food scraps and yard waste in the garbage and let material rot in a landfill and create harmful greenhouse gases. Or, you can choose to put your food scraps and yard waste in the brown bin and help create compost and green energy for our city.

For more information on composting, go to MakeCompost.nyc.


Have a question? Submit it below!