DSNY announces suspension of curbside composting, electronics collection

Citing economic hardships related to COVID-19 budget cuts and a commitment to focus on its core waste collection offerings, the New York City Department of Sanitation(DSNY) announced the suspension of its curbside composting program on April 17. The suspension is currently planned from May 4 through June 30, 2021. During the suspension, any food scraps and yard waste set out for composting will be collected as trash. According to DSNY, residents should store their brown curbside recycling bins for when service resumes. Food scrap drop-off sites have also been temporarily closed due to social distancing mandates.

DSNY also announced the indefinite suspension of appointments for curbside electronics collection, which had been halted due to the COVID-19 crisis.

“These are painful cuts to make, and we do not take these changes lightly. The city is facing an unprecedented crisis, and these service reductions will allow the city to maintain emergency services and its core municipal services,” DSNY Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia says. “We look forward to a day when we can restore our full suite of composting and electronics collection programs for city residents, and we thank all New Yorkers for their patience and cooperation as we implement these changes.”