Have you heard the news? Last October, New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) launched a citywide curbside organics collection program, which incentivizes residents to separate their organic waste, and keeps this waste out of landfills and incinerators. Are you unsure of what can be composted? Does this feel like a nonsensical city mandate? Want to know why is it so important for you to participate in curbside composting? You can find reasons to participate below and at: manhattanswab.org/organics
And more on how to participate here: nyc.gov/site/dsny/collection/residents/curbside-composting.page

About one-third of the approximately eight million tons of waste that New Yorkers produce every year is organic material, including food scraps and yard waste. This material traditionally travels from our homes and businesses by truck and train to landfills or incinerators.

In 2015, the City of New York announced a goal to send “zero waste” to landfill and incinerators by 2030. But unfortunately, the City inadequately funds “zero waste” solutions and continues to export over 80% of discards rich in recyclables and organics to landfills and incinerators.

The chart below shows the massive amounts of money the City spends exporting, landfilling, and incinerating recyclables and organics that could be separated out of “black bag trash” by City residents. The communities where NYC’s waste is dumped and burned are being burdened with pollution, health, and quality of life problems from these NYC waste exports.

Queens’ “black bag trash” is exported by rail in those green Waste Management containers you see parked or rolling on tracks in Maspeth, Ridgewood, Glendale, and Middle Village. Waste-by-rail has been a source of pollution, noise, foul odors, and quality of life problems for residents in Queens Community District 5 since it began in 2008.

For carters, processors, and export transporters, on the other hand, the City’s waste exports are a steady source of profits. The chart below shows that NYC taxpayers are paying billions of dollars for the NYC’s largest Long Term export contracts, including Waste Management’s.

The more the City redirects export funds to composting and recycling infrastructure, effective educational programs, and waste prevention initiatives — and the more residents participate in recycling and curbside composting — the fewer Waste Management containers there will be in our neighborhoods.

A benefit of composting organics and recycling within NYC is the creation of jobs in the City — instead of enriching large national contractors, most of whom operate and profit outside New York City. Also, why pay to export resources the City can sell for recycling, or organics that can be composted to enrich the City’s parkland, gardens, and tree canopy? Composting organics is an efficient, low-tech method of cleaning up pollution and sequestering carbon in soils. Composting also reduces air pollution and climate impacts that are driving up home insurance rates.

The City can still do more to help residents participate, and ensure this waste is processed responsibly. However, your and other New Yorkers’ participation in separating your organics for curbside collection is crucial to achieving the potential economic, health, and quality of life benefits from curbside composting. It’s doable, and it’s the right thing to do. Thank you for considering this information.