FREE Compost for All New Yorkers!
July 23, 2024
DSNY Opens Second Site – in Greenpoint – to Distribute "Black Gold" to NYC Gardeners
New facility open for pick-up Wednesdays and Saturdays from August 3 through end of September; distributes compost made from nation's largest and easiest curbside composting program
NEW YORK – The New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) today announced the opening of a new compost distribution site at 459 N. Henry Street in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, making it easier than ever for NYC gardeners to access free, high-quality compost. Starting August 3, the new Greenpoint Compost Giveback Site will be open on Wednesdays from 5pm-7pm and Saturdays from 8am-10am, running through the end of September. Registration for the first date is now open at nyc.gov/getcompost.
DSNY produces millions of pounds of compost per year from food scraps and yard waste collected through New York City's curbside composting program, the network of 400 Smart Composting Bins, and waste separated by students in NYC schools. Previously, this valuable resource was only distributed from the Staten Island Compost Facility, which is not always convenient for many New Yorkers.
"Over the last several years, DSNY has produced tens of millions of pounds of finished compost at our massive Staten Island compost facility – so much that one distribution site just isn't enough for every composter in the City to access the fruits of their labors. As curbside composting comes to all five boroughs, bring your green thumb to Greenpoint and get free compost made from your food scraps and yard waste," said Jessica Tisch, Commissioner, NYC Sanitation.
Over the decade prior to the Adams administration, composting programs in New York City had been beset by stops and starts and complicated rules. That changed beginning in Fall 2022, when an easy-to-use, universal curbside composting program began serving every address in Queens. That program – no sign-ups, no special days, no limited hours – is now operating in approximately half the City, Brooklyn and Queens, and comes to the remaining three boroughs the week of October 6, after which it will be permanent and citywide.
In addition, New York City is now home to approximately 400 Smart Composting Bins, 24-hour drop-off sites where New Yorkers can bring anything from their kitchen and anything from their garden to be put to beneficial reuse. And, earlier this year, Mayor Adams fulfilled a campaign promise by bringing DSNY collection of compostable material to every single NYC public school.
The compost given away at the existing Staten Island and new Greenpoint sites is made at the DSNY Staten Island Compost Facility, which recently underwent a major expansion ahead of the full roll-out of citywide curbside service. This finished compost is given away for free to New Yorkers in 40-lb bags.
Anyone wishing to pick up free compost – either on Staten Island or in Greenpoint – can sign-up now at nyc.gov/getcompost. For access to the Greenpoint site, the best address to enter into a GPS is 530 Kingsland Avenue.