Composting and Organics Recycling for Municipalities
Local Solid Waste Management Plan
State and federal law gives localities the responsibility for planning and implementing materials management strategies. Each municipality and county in New York State is required to be part of a solid waste management planning unit (most planning units are single counties) who are responsible for developing and implementing their local solid waste management plan. Organics management should play a key role in managing organic materials within the boundaries of the planning unit. Planning units can
- Manage an organics recycling facility (composting, anaerobic digestion, land application, etc.)
- Develop food scraps drop-off program
- Provide residential organics collection
- Host home composting workshops
- Host backyard composting bin sales
- Provide outreach and education material on reducing wasted food at home and home composting
Starting and Managing an Organics Recycling Facility
Municipalities across New York State manage organic materials such as yard trimmings, food scraps, biosolids, etc. via composting, land application and anaerobic digestion.
Organics Recycling Facilities & Regulations
Tools for Municipalities
- The 'How to Build a Municipal Food Waste Strategy' toolkit (leaves DEC's website) developed by the NYS Pollution Prevention Institute is a free, interactive toolkit that municipalities can use to design, implement, and manage food waste programs at the local level.
Celebrate New York State Compost Awareness Week
New York State joins the international community in celebrating Compost Awareness Week each year in early May. Mark your calendars for May 1 - 7, 2022 to celebrate Compost Awareness Week.
Email organicrecycling@dec.ny.gov if you are interested in connecting with other compost educators or community organizers on 2022 NYS Compost Awarenesss Week or receiving the Compost Awareness Week Outreach Toolkit. Learn more about NYS Compost Awareness Week.
Funding Opportunities
DEC Municipal Waste Reduction and Recycling (MWRR) State Assistance Program
The MWRR program is a state assistance program for waste reduction, recycling and household hazardous waste (HHW). Funding is provided on a 50% reimbursement rate for eligible costs. Organics management projects are eligible under this state assistance program.
- Grants for Recycling Coordination and Education Projects: Awarded on an annual basis. Applications accepted August, September and October of each year.
- Grants for Waste Reduction/Prevention Projects: Applications accepted on an ongoing basis.
- Grants for Recycling Capital Projects (equipment and facilities): Applications accepted on an ongoing basis.
DEC Climate Smart Communities Grant Program
The Climate Smart Communities (CSC) Grant program provides 50/50 matching grants to cities, towns, villages and counties of New York State and boroughs of New York City for eligible climate adaption and mitigation projects.
Reduction and recycling of organic waste is a prioritized project type. See page 6 of the RFA for full project descriptions.
This grant opportunity is open and accepting applications until 4:00p.m. July 30, 2021.
USDA Community Compost and Food Waste Reduction Pilot Projects
$2 million in funding available for local governments to host Community Compost and Food Waste Reduction pilot projects (leaving DEC website). Eligible applicants include county governments, city or township governments, special district governments, native american tribal governments (federally recognized), state governments and native american tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments.
Cooperative agreements support projects led by local governments that
- Generate compost
- Increase access to compost for agricultural producers
- Reduce reliance on and limit the use of fertilizer
- Improve soil quality
- Encourage waste management and permaculture business development
- Increase rainwater absorption
- Reduce municipal food waste
- Divert food waste from landfills
This grant opportunity is open and accepting applications until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time July 16, 2021.
NYS P2I Food Waste Reduction and Diversion Reimbursement Program
The Food Waste Reduction & Diversion Reimbursement Program (leaving DEC website) program is available to New York State businesses or not-fot-profits that generate, haul or recycle large amounts of food waste to offset the cost of selected technologies and equipment that promise to reduce or divert that food waste from landfill or incineration. Learn more and apply today.
NYS P2I Community Grants Program
Funding available for community organizations, municipal departments, and other public sector and not-for-profit entities for projects that raise awareness and understanding of pollution prevention practices and lead to implementation at the local level.
Note: This grant opportunity closed May 29, 2020. This is an annual grant program.
DEC Municipal Funding for Food Scraps Reduction, Food Donation and Food Scraps Recycling
The goal of this funding program was to assist municipalities in creating and expanding programs to reduce wasted food, donate wholesome food and recycle food scraps (composting, anaerobic digestion, etc.)
Municipal Food Scraps Reduction, Food Donation and Food Scraps Recycling Awards (PDF)
Note: This funding opportunity is currently closed.
Stay Connected
Solid Waste & Recycling Newsletter
Sign up for DECDelivers Solid Waste and Recycling topic to stay up to date with news, regulatory requirements and changes, funding opportunities, and upcoming events in the materials management industry.
Annual Conferences
- November 3 - 4, 2021: Virtual NYSAR3 Annual Recycling Pre-Conference in partnership with National Recycling Congress
- November 9 - 10, 2021: NYSAR3 Annual Recycling Conference
- January 24 - 27, 2022: Compost2022 - Austin, TX
- April 5 - 6, 2022: NYS Organics Summit - Albany, NY
Professional Materials Management Organizations
- New York State Association for Reduction, Reuse and Recycling (NYSAR3) (leaves DEC website) is a professional organization of materials management professionals dedicated to providing statewide leadership on waste reduction, reuse and recycling issues and practices to improve the environment. The Organics Council, a subgroup of NYSAR3, are committed to reducing wasted food, recovering edible food and diverting food scraps, yard trimmings, manure, and other organic materials from the waste stream through sustainable materials management strategies. They meet regularly through teleconference to share news and resources, plan workshops, conferences and much more.
- New York Solid Waste Association of North America - NY (SWANA-NY) (leaves DEC website) is an organization of solid waste professionals committed to environmental stewardship and the advancement of sustainable environmental technology.
- New York State Association for Solid Waste Management (NYSASWM) (leaves DEC website) is an organization of NYS solid waste professionals addressing issues that affect solid waste management in New York State as well as issues at the federal level.
- United States Composting Council (USCC) (leaves DEC website) is a national organization of compost manufacturers, compost marketers, equipment manufacturers, academic institutions, public agencies, nonprofit groups, and consulting/engineering firms dedicated to the development, expansion and promotion of the composting industry.
