Food Scrap Drop-Off

Drop-off composting sites across the city can turn your food scraps and plant waste into compost and clean energy while reducing the amount of waste sent to landfills.

Smart Composting Bins

You can access Smart Composting Bins 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, using a free, simple app.

Smart Composting Bins are located throughout the city. They are emptied regularly and food scraps are composted to beautify green spaces across NYC.

Find a Drop-Off Site

Find a Smart Composting Bin or food scrap drop-off site near you.

KEY:

  • Green - No app required for access. Schedule may vary.
  • Orange - Accessible 24/7 via the NYC Compost app.

What to Know

Make sure the site is open and able to accept material. Check the map or the NYC Compost app.

What to compost

  • Smart Composting Bins: ALL food scraps, plant waste, and food-soiled paper. This includes meat, bones, dairy, prepared foods, and greasy uncoated paper plates and pizza boxes.
  • Food Scrap Drop-Off Sites: Most food scraps, including fruits and vegetables, eggshells, coffee grounds and tea bags, bread, rice, and pasta. Plant waste, including leaf and yard waste and houseplants. No meat, bones, or dairy.

What not to compost

  • No trash such as diapers, personal hygiene products, animal waste, wrappers, non-paper packaging, and foam products.
  • Metal, glass, plastic, cartons, paper, or cardboard.

NOTE: Most food scrap drop-off sites CANNOT accept meat, fish, or dairy.