Curbside food scraps and yard trimmings collection is coming back to New York City in Fall 2021. The New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) is resuming brown bin service on a rolling basis, which is based on the number of sign ups in neighborhoods where collection is being offered. “This way we can ensure there will be enough material set out for our trucks to pick up,” explains DSNY. “The more sign-ups in an area, the quicker service will start.” All food scraps will be accepted, as well as food-soiled paper, yard trimmings and plant waste. Households can sign up for service starting in August. Those in neighborhoods where curbside collection will not be offered will be provided information on food scraps drop-off sites.

Key: Orange—service is available starting in Fall 2021. Yellow—request information on drop-off sites and/or home composting

The curbside organics collection service was suspended in the height of the pandemic on May 4, 2020 due to “economic hardship, and to ensure the City can continue to devote resources to essential safety, health, and shelter, and food security needs,” stated DSNY at the time. Food scraps drop-off sites were temporarily closed as well, due to social distancing requirements. Those have gradually reopened over the past year. Residents with brown bins were instructed to store them for the duration of the suspension. Households in areas where curbside service will be offered in the fall can request a brown bin if they had not been issued one previously.