GROWNYC'S COMPOST PROGRAM HAS ENDED.
Food Scrap Collections at Tompkins Square Greenmarkets & Union Square Greenmarkets (operated by LESEC), and
Forest Hills Greenmarket, Fort Greene Greenmarket, & McCarren Park Greenmarket (operated by Big Reuse) continue.
For alternatives, please refer to the zero waste resources on our blog.
Last update: 2/26/25
Established in 2011, the GrowNYC Compost Program made composting second-nature for all New Yorkers by operating residential Food Scrap Drop-off sites and partnering with community composting facilities to make compost locally. The Program ended in May 2024 as a result of City budget cuts.
For alternative ways to compost, please visit: https://www.nyc.gov/site/dsny/collection/residents/curbside-composting.page
In cases of severe weather, collections may close early or be cancelled. Please follow us on social media for future program updates.
Last Updated: 02/26/2025
BOROUGH  |
LOCATION |
DAY |
COLLECTION SCHEDULE | OPERATED BY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brooklyn | Fort Greene Park Greenmarket Washington Park & Willoughby Avenue |
Saturdays | 8am-1:30pm | Big Reuse |
| Brooklyn | McCarren Park Greenmarket N 12th Street and Driggs Avenue |
Saturdays | 8am-1:30pm | Big Reuse |
| Manhattan | Tompkins Square Greenmarket E 7th Street & Avenue A |
Sundays | 8am-5pm | LESEC |
| Manhattan | Union Square Greenmarket Union Square East / Park Avenue & 17th Street |
Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat |
8am-5pm | LESEC |
| Queens | Forest Hills Greenmarket 70th Avenue & Austin Street |
Sundays | 8am-2pm | Big Reuse |
Key:
LESEC = Lower East Side Ecology Center
Frequently Asked Questions
Why compost?
Composting is one of the easiest things that everyone can do to improve the environment, with benefits including:
- Sending Zero Waste to Landfills - over ⅓ of New York City’s residential waste stream is made up of organic waste that could be composted, including food scraps, food-soiled paper, and yard waste.
- Fighting Climate Change - making compost locally cuts down on carbon emissions from hauling trash long distances, and methane emissions generated by anaerobic decomposition of food waste in landfills.
- Turning Waste into a Resource - compost is a valuable fertilizer that returns nutrients to soil and helps plants thrive.
How should I store my food scraps?
Food scraps can be collected in reusable containers, paper bags, or plastic bags. To reduce odors at home and at the collection sites, store items in the freezer or refrigerator. A layer of shredded newspaper at the bottom of your storage container also helps.
How can I enroll in Curbside Composting?
Curbside Composting is currently available to select Community Boards in the Bronx and Manhattan, and ALL Brooklyn and Queens residents. Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island will receive service beginning in October 2024. Curbside Composting service is year-round, and every week on your recycling day. No enrollment is required, find out how to participate here: https://www.nyc.gov/site/dsny/collection/residents/curbside-composting.page
How can I make compost at home?
We recommend reading the NYC Compost Project's Outdoor Composting Guide and Indoor Composting Guide for an introduction on the art and science of making compost. If you want to dig deeper, check out the Master Composter Manual.
How has participation in the GrowNYC Compost Program changed over time?
The GrowNYC Food Scrap Drop-off Program was a partnership between the City of New York, the NYC Department of Sanitation, GrowNYC, and community partners.
