New York residents set record, diverting 6M pounds of compost from landfill

The New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) has announced that residents have set a new composting record for the second week in a row.

For the week of Nov. 9-15, residents separated and set out 6.02 million pounds of food and yard waste. During the previous week, residents set a record of 5.9 million pounds of compostable materials diverted from landfills.

The record-breaking weeks also surpassed records set in the spring.

During the second week of April, the DSNY collected nearly 3.6 million pounds of compost, more than three times what was collected at the same time the year prior, and, at the time, the highest level of separated compostable material collected curbside in the city's history.

That record was broken by the third week of April at 4.5 million pounds—a 400 percent increase over the same time the year before. That record was again broken by the fourth week of April, at 5.24 million pounds—a 500 percent increase over the same time the year before. Residents of New York broke that record during the week of May 18-24, when they set out 5.4 million pounds of compostable material.

Since curbside composting went citywide in October 2024, Staten Island residents have produced the most compostable material per capita—roughly one pound per person, per week—while Queens residents have produced the most compostable material overall, totaling more than 61 million pounds total in the first year.

The DSNY picks up all leaf and yard waste, food scraps and food-soiled paper from every resident on recycling day. This includes meat, bones, shells, dairy, cooked foods and greasy uncoated paper plates and pizza boxes. No sign-up is required, and residents can use any bin 55 gallons or less with a secure lid, with or without a paper, compostable or clear plastic liner.

Material collected in the DSNY's curbside composting program is either turned into finished compost for parks and gardens or into renewable energy to heat local homes and businesses reducing the need for fracked gas. In 2025 alone, the DSNY says it gave away more than 8 million pounds of finished compost to residents through a network of four regular giveback sites and dozens of popup events across the five boroughs.