Jan. 30, 2018 By Christian Murray
The organics collection program by the Department of Sanitation (DSNY) is coming to several Queens neighborhoods starting in spring.
The program will be rolled out in Astoria in May; in Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, East Elmhurst, Corona and North Corona in June; and Forest Hills and Rego Park in July.
Residents in these neighborhoods will be able to dispose of their organic waste–including food scraps, food-soiled paper, and yard waste–through a curbside program, or by depositing it at a neighborhood drop-off site.
Buildings with two to nine apartments are automatically included in the program, and the DSNY will provide one large bin for residents to share. Each apartment unit will also get one starter kit containing a kitchen container, a brochure, a coupon, and a sticker per apartment.
Single family homes in these areas are also automatically included and will receive one small bin and a starter kit.
After the DSNY distributes the bins, organic collection service will occur once a week on recycling day.
For buildings with more than nine units, or on commercial streets, building management has to apply to participate in the program. Once the building is approved, DSNY staff will train and educate building staff on proper disposal methods, according to a spokesperson for the DSNY.
Disposing waste through the organics collection program is voluntary, and there are no penalties for choosing not to participate.
The DSNY says that organic waste—yard waste, compostable paper, food scraps—account for over 30 percent of all waste generated by residents in the city.
By the end of 2018, all New Yorkers should have access to curbside service or a neighborhood drop-off point for organic waste.
For detailed instructions on how best to use the brown bins, visit the DSNY organic collections site.
