What Is the Organics Collection Enrollment Program?

DSNY organics collection currently serves over 1.6 million New Yorkers in all five boroughs and will expand to serve over 3.3 million residents in the coming year. Apartment buildings, residences on commercial blocks, nonprofits, city agencies, and community based organizations are eligible for collection service, but must enroll before receiving free brown bins. You may request organics collection service online: on.nyc.gov/request-organics.

WHAT IS THE ORGANICS COLLECTION ENROLLMENT PROGRAM? o The Organics Collection Enrollment Program is the channel through which apartment buildings, residences on commercial blocks, nonprofits, city agencies, and community based organizations can register for the Department of Sanitation’s curbside service to collect organics - food scraps, food- soiled paper, and yard waste - from residents in select areas of NYC. o DSNY staff work with individual buildings to develop site-specific plans for participation in DSNY’s curbside organics collection program. We provide training to building staff, develop outreach and maintenance strategies, and troubleshoot issues with collection service. WHY JOIN ORGANICS COLLECTION? o By separating your building’s organics for DSNY collection, you help NYC turn waste into a resource and make our neighborhoods cleaner. o Putting your organics into latching bins prevents bag tears and spills, which keep streets clean and can reduce rodent populations by limiting access to their food source. o Food scraps, food-soiled paper and yard waste comprise nearly a third of the garbage New Yorkers throw away. Unlike trash, organic waste is a valuable resource. o Rather than going to a landfill, organics are turned into . Compost, a natural soil amendment to nourish the soil for farms, gardens, parks, and street trees. . Clean, energy to light and heat homes or fuel vehicles

WHAT CAN GO IN THE BROWN BIN? o We accept: . Food Scraps: fruit, vegetables, meat, bones, dairy, prepared foods  Items can be fresh or spoiled, leftovers, cooked or raw. . Food-Soiled Paper: Napkins, towels, plates, coffee filters, tea bags . Yard Waste: plants, garden trimmings, leaves, grass  Brooklyn and Queens: no wood debris. You must notify Parks Department for disposal due to Asian Long-Horned Beetle quarantine; call 311 or visit nyc.gov/wood-debris. o We DO NOT accept: . Plastics, liquids, foam, pet waste, cigarettes/ash, medical or bathroom waste, diapers, or personal hygiene products. New York’s Strongest . Metal, glass, plastic, cartons, or clean paper and cardboard: recycle these items separately. . Landscaper waste. Landscapers must arrange to haul their material to a compost facility. o See nyc.gov/organics for more info on what to include and how to set out your organics at the curb!

HOW TO JOIN THE ORGANICS COLLECTION ENROLLMENT PROGRAM o Apartment buildings, residences on commercial blocks, nonprofits, city agencies, and community based organizations located in Manhattan, the South Bronx, and our existing service areas are eligible to participate in Organics Collection, but must enroll for service. When new buildings join the program, we work with each individually to determine a management plan for the program. o Visit on.nyc.gov/request-organics to request service. You will be invited to attend a training session on how to participate in the program. . All trainings are held at 44 Beaver Street in Lower Manhattan. . If you can’t attend a training, you will be prompted to email [email protected] to schedule a site visit with a DSNY representative. o After your training, DSNY will deliver brown bins to your building, along with educational materials for your building residents. DSNY will then notify you about when your organics collection will start. We offer the following kinds of support for buildings: 1. Flyers, Posters, Decals, and other literature to distribute 2. Coupons for biodegradable bags 3. In-building trainings for staff and residents run by a DSNY rep 4. Additional tenant organizing support via GrowNYC o We require the approval of building management, a co-op/condo board, or a managing representative from the building’s facilities staff. o We do not offer kitchen containers to apartment buildings.

WHY HAVE AN ORGANICS COLLECTION ENROLLMENT PROGRAM o Waste management practices are widely variable in multiple dwelling buildings across the city. Dependent on building size, staffing, available space, and numerous other factors, practices that work for one building may not work for another. It is important to be able to work with individual buildings to determine practices that may suit their needs.

HOW TO PARTICPATE – Building Tenants Collect food scraps, food-soiled paper, and plants in any container or bag. . You may use any container you wish – some popular choices are a reusable container, a large yogurt container, a regular plastic bag (which must be discarded after emptying

New York’s Strongest 2 organics into the brown bin), a paper bag, a biodegradable bag, or a decorative countertop collector (which can be purchased online or at home goods stores). . Store scraps in the freezer or sprinkle baking soda in the container to prevent odors and pests. o Empty organics into your building’s brown bin.

HOW TO PARTICPATE – BUILDING MAINTENANCE STAFF o Lining your bin will reduce odors, and will make the organics easier to remove from the bin by our Sanitation Workers. . Clear plastic liner. Liners help keep your bin clean, and are separated from organics during processing. . Brown paper bags. These are compostable. . Certified compostable bags. Buy online or ask your local stores. Look for the BPI Certified Compostable Logo. o Clean/rinse bins regularly. Bins are made with an odor-resistant plastic, to avoid odor buildup over time. o Set out ENTIRE bin at the curbside according to your organics collection schedule. . Manhattan Collection Schedule: Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays between 4 PM and 12 AM. o If you use a liner in your bin, tie it shut inside of the bin, and latch the lid closed. Any yard waste that does not fit in your bin may be set out in unlined rigid containers with a “Yard Waste” label, or in paper lawn & leaf bags. Bundle small branches with twine. o You may find your organics collection schedule online at www.NYC.gov/DSNY, or by calling 311.

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