In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, he drastic cuts to New York City Department of Sanitation’s budget, which NYLCV strongly opposed and advocated against, have nearly halted its composting efforts. Overall, the City’s composting budget was slashed 90% from its original $27.5 million. This includes a full suspension of curbside collection and only $2.86 million provided to support community drop-off sites. While this $2.86 million does help to keep some sites open, it is less than half of the $7 million environmental advocates asked for to keep all previously existing drop-off sites operational.
Composting can be an accessible waste management tool that has many environmental benefits. It can reduce landfill waste: more than one-third of New York City’s residential waste stream could be composted. It also fights climate change locally by cutting carbon emissions from transporting trash and slashing methane emissions generated by organic waste in landfills. Compost creates fertilizer that NYC distributes to community gardens, urban farms, neighborhood parks, and street tree beds, improving community welfare and the local environment. In 2019, 3.2 million pounds of food scraps were collected in New York City.
But there are still a few ways to continue composting during the pandemic. Some food scrap drop-off sites are still open and can be found on this interactive map or this regularly updated list.
Bronx
- Friends of Brook Park, E 141st St & Brook Ave
- The Mediator Composting Initiative, 260 W 231st St
- Willis Avenue Community Garden, 378 Willis Ave
Brooklyn
- BK Rot, 1309 Dekalb Ave
- BK Scrap Shuttle, Cooper Park, Maspeth Ave
- Bushwick City Farm, Stockton St & Lewis Ave
- Domino Park, 15 River St
- Ground cycle, 199 York St
- Lafayette Garden, 1040 Lafayette Ave
- Nature Based Nursery, 123 3rd St
- North Brooklyn Compost, Russell Street & Nassau Ave
- Nurture BK Compost, contact on Instagram for specific address
- PS 20 Clinton High School, 225 Adelphi St
- Q Gardens, 58 E 18th St
- Rhodora Wine Bar, 197 Adelphi St
- Tyrone Tripoli’s Gallery Petite Bushwick, 114 Wilson Ave
- Walt L Shamel Community Garden, 1097 Dean St
- Wyckoff Farm, 5816 Clarendon Rd
Manhattan
- Earth Matter NYC Inc. Compost Learning Center, Governor’s Island
- Green Park Gardener’s NYC, E 60th St and FDR Dr.
- Jenny’s Garden, W 138th St & 12th Ave
- LES Ecology Center, East River Park Compost Yard
- LES Ecology Center, E 7th St & Ave A, Tompkins Square
- LES Ecology Center, E 17th St & Union Square W
- Reclaimed Organics, 995 Columbus Ave
- The RING Garden, Broadway and Dyckman St
Queens
- Astoria Pug, 32-11 31st St
- Astoria Pug, 38-12 30th Ave
- Astoria Pug, 22-70 33rd St
- Astoria Pug, 30-36 41st St
- JH SCRAPS, 35th Ave & 69th St
- Moore-Jackson Cemetery/Garden, 31-20-31-98 54th St
- Queens County Farm Museum, 73-50 Little Neck Pkwy
- Resistance is Fertile, 45th St & Skillman Ave
- Smiling Hogshead Ranch, Pearson Pl & Skillman Ave
- St. James Compost, 86-02 Broadway
- Woodside Sunnyside Composting, Barnett Ave & 50th St