Nearly 30,000 Additional Bronx Tenants to Receive NYC Organics Collection in Their Apartment Buildings

Nearly 30,000 Additional Bronx Tenants to Receive NYC Organics Collection in Their Apartment Buildings

Removing Food Scraps from Waste Stream Good for Environment, Creates Useful Products, Helps Control Pests

The New York City Department of Sanitation is welcoming nearly 30,000 additional Bronx tenants to its curbside organics collection service. Through the service, food waste, food-soiled paper and yard waste is collected from residents and turned into useful products such as compost or renewable energy. The newly registered Bronxites live in apartment buildings and have elected to receive organics collection, which helps control pests by making their food source inaccessible.

Currently, more than three million residents have access to the service citywide. The Department is working to make food scrap recycling available to all New Yorkers by the end of the year, through curbside service or access to convenient neighborhood drop-off sites.

To participate, tenants put their food scraps, food-soiled paper and yard waste in hard-sided locking bins. Putting this material in bins, instead of plastic bags, keeps it away from rats, raccoons and other city critters looking for their next meal. The material, also known as “organics,” creates greenhouse gases when decomposing in a landfill, making it also good for the environment when the material is instead turned into compost or renewable energy.

The nearly 30,000 tenants live in Bronx community boards 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 9. Other apartment buildings in these districts can enroll in the program and receive free bins and collection by visiting on.nyc.gov/request-organics.  The Department’s outreach representatives work directly with interested buildings to develop site-specific plans to ensure success in the program.

In addition to Bronx residents, organics collection is also available for certain non-profits and city agencies, with nearly 30 organizations electing to receive service as well. Among those starting service are churches, community centers, food pantries, soup kitchens and libraries.

How does it work?

Tenants receive a starter kit that includes instructions and coupons for compostable bags. Tenants collect their organics in any bag or container at home, and then transfer the material to their building’s brown bin. The building managers place the brown bins outdoors for DSNY to collect. If applicable, yard waste may be placed directly in the bin, or placed at the curb in open, unlined containers or in paper lawn and leaf bags.

What’s accepted:

  • All food, including cooked and prepared foods, spoiled or expired foods, meat and dairy, coffee grounds and tea leaves, cereal, flour, grains, pasta, rice and eggs and eggshells
  • Food-soiled paper, including paper towels and napkins, paper plates, paper coffee filters, tea bags, paper bags, and uncoated food service paper trays and boxes
  • Leaf and yard waste, including leaves, grass clippings,  garden trimmings, plants, flowers and potting soil

What’s not accepted:

  • Diapers and hygiene products
  • Animal waste
  • Wrappers and packaging
  • Foam products
  • Metal, glass and plastic
  • Clean recyclable paper

In this latest addition:

  • Nearly 300 locations have voluntarily registered for collection.
  • More than 13,500 total units are included at the registered locations.
  • Almost 30,000 residents will have access to the program
  • Bins are being distributed now, and collection begins the week of March 5

About the New York City Department of Sanitation

The Department of Sanitation (DSNY) keeps New York City healthy, safe and clean by collecting, recycling and disposing of waste, cleaning streets and vacant lots, and clearing snow and ice. The Department operates 59 district garages and manages a fleet of more than 2,000 rear-loading collection trucks, 450 mechanical brooms and 693 salt/sand spreaders. The Department clears litter, snow and ice from approximately 6,500 miles of City streets and removes debris from vacant lots as well as abandoned vehicles from City streets.

 

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