COLLECTION
The City's organics collection program
Since 2013, the Department of Sanitation (DSNY) has been implementing a curbside organics collection program.
As the service is expanded to new neighborhoods, DSNY will provide residents with a brown bin for organics and yard waste to be collected separately from recyclables and refuse.
DSNY also collects organics from selected, institutions, apartment buildings, and more than 720 public schools.
(Click on the map to replay the animation)
COLLECTION
The City's organics collection program
Since 2013, the Department of Sanitation (DSNY) has been implementing a curbside organics collection program.
As the service is expanded to new neighborhoods, DSNY will provide residents with a brown bin for organics and yard waste to be collected separately from recyclables and refuse.
DSNY also collects organics from selected, institutions, apartment buildings, and more than 720 public schools.
(Click on the map to replay the animation)
Collecting the organics
Organics are collected separately from refuse and recyclables, either by using different trucks or dual-bin trucks such as this one.
The collection program is expanding, and as of 2017 serves about 1 million people, making it the largest municipal organics collection program in the country.*DSNY, 2017.
In fiscal year 2016, DSNY has collected approximately 21,600 tons of organics.*DSNY Annual Report, FY 2016..
Alternatives to landfilling
After collection, organics will be taken for composting at facilities inside the city or in the region, or to an anaerobic digestor in Brooklyn.
Both strategies reduce methane emissions from organics decomposing in landfills. Since there are no landfills in the city, they also help reduce the amount of money spent by the City exporting waste to distant sites.
(Click on the map to replay the animation)
The anaerobic digesters
These stainless steel digester "eggs" are located at the Newtown Creek Sewage Treatment Plant. They're filled with a mix of organics from sewage and food waste that has been processed into a slurry.
Inside the eggs, bacteria digests the organics in the absence of oxygen and produce methane, which can be used as fuel.
There are 8 eggs in total. They are 140 feet tall and process 1.5 million gallons of material per day.*NYC DEP.
The anaerobic digesters
These stainless steel digester "eggs" are located at the Newtown Creek Sewage Treatment Plant. They're filled with a mix of organics from sewage and food waste that has been processed into a slurry.
Inside the eggs, bacteria digests the organics in the absence of oxygen and produce methane, which can be used as fuel.
There are 8 eggs in total. They are 140 feet tall and process 1.5 million gallons of material per day.*NYC DEP.
Arriving at the Staten Island Composting Facility
Organics that are collected on Staten Island are processed at this facility in the same borough, along with yard waste from other boroughs. The facility is located by the deactivated Fresh Kills landfill.
Composting the organics
After being unloaded from collection trucks, organics are mixed with woodchips and arranged in long rows, called windrows.
The quantities of dry material, such as wood and yard waste, and wet material, such as food scraps, are controlled to ensure the efficiency of the composting process.
Windrows are periodically turned by machines to control oxygen levels, temperature, and moisture.
Compost made from local organics
The resulting compost is donated by DSNY for local use in gardening, public greening, soil mitigation, and street tree stewardship.
It can be requested by residents, city agencies, and nonprofits at nyc.gov/getcompost. Commercial landscapers can also purchase the compost from the Staten Island Facility.
COMMUNITY COMPOSTING
At the community level
Decades before DSNY began collecting curbside organics, New York already had a series of community composting initiatives. In fact, DSNY has supported many of these initiatives since 1993 through the NYC Compost Project.
Today, New Yorkers can drop off organics at several sites, including farmers markets, gardens, commuter hubs, and nonprofits. Many of these receive support and funding from the City.
In addition, several community gardens use local compost, and some also take in organics for composting.
(Click on the map to replay the animation)
COMMUNITY COMPOSTING
At the community level
Decades before DSNY began collecting curbside organics, New York already had a series of community composting initiatives. In fact, DSNY supports many of these initiatives since 1993 through the NYC Compost Project.
Today, New Yorkers can drop-off organics at several sites, including farmers markets, gardens, commuter hubs, and nonprofits. Many of these receive support and funding from the City.
In addition, several community gardens use local compost, and some also take in organics for composting.
(Click on the map to replay the animation)
Food scraps drop-off
One type of location where residents can bring certain types of food scraps are Greenmarkets, a farmers market program. There, the scraps are stored in large bins before being taken to compost sites in the city.
The Greenmarket compost program is a partnership between the City, DSNY, GrowNYC, and community partners.
DSNY estimates that Greenmarkets and other City-funded but not City-collected locations have sent at least 1,350 tons for composting in 2016.*DSNY Annual Report, FY 2016.
Food scraps drop-off
One type of location where residents can bring certain types of food scraps are Greenmarkets, a farmers market program. There, the scraps are stored in large bins before being taken to compost sites in the city.
The Greenmarket compost program is a partnership between the City, DSNY, GrowNYC, and community partners.
DSNY estimates that Greenmarkets and other City-funded but not City-collected locations have sent at least 1,350 tons for composting in 2016.*DSNY Annual Report, FY 2016.
Community composting
Bins from drop-off locations are taken one of several to compost sites in the city.
In this one, run by NYC Compost Project Hosted by Earth Matter NY, volunteers help more experienced composters to build a windrow and learn about composting in the process.
From food scraps to food
The produced compost is often used in local community gardens and farms, helping turn food scraps into food again.
But this is just a part of the story.
Due to its commitment to send zero waste to landfills by 2030, the City is seeking to maximize its landfill diversion rate.
Today, only about 2% of all residential organics are diverted from landfills by DSNY and DSNY-funded programs. *DSNY Annual Report, FY 2016. But there are a a few things residents can do to help increase this diversion rate.
See what other waste journeys New York City's waste can take |
Waste Journeys was created for Getting to Zero, the third installment of Open House New York’s Urban Systems Series. Getting to Zero is made possible by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. Digital content and research by Bernardo Loureiro.
Most photography courtesy of Michael Anton/DSNY; community composting photos by NYC Compost Project Hosted by Earth Matter NY. Map data by OpenStreetMap contributors; NYC DCP; DSNY; US Census.
But this is just a part of the story.
Due to its commitment to send zero waste to landfills by 2030, the City is seeking to maximize its landfill diversion rate.
Today, only about 2% of all residential organics are diverted from landfills by DSNY and DSNY-funded programs. *DSNY Annual Report, FY 2016. But there are a a few things residents can do to help increase this diversion rate.
See what other waste journeys New York City's waste can take |
Waste Journeys was created for Getting to Zero, the third installment of Open House New York’s Urban Systems Series. Getting to Zero is made possible by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. Digital content and research by Bernardo Loureiro.
Most photography courtesy of Michael Anton/DSNY; some community composting photos by Earth Matter. Map data by OpenStreetMap contributors; NYC DCP; DSNY; US Census.