What the city accepts in your compost bin
New York City's compost program takes food scraps, food-soiled paper, and yard waste. The city collects these materials from your brown bin and brings them to composting facilities where they break down into soil amendment. What you put in matters—contamination (plastic, glass, metal) slows the whole process and can shut down equipment at the facility.
The rules are the same across all five boroughs. Your brown bin is for compostable material only. If you're unsure whether something goes in, the safest approach is to leave it out and put it in your regular trash instead.
Key Takeaways
- Food scraps of any kind—raw or cooked, meat and bones included—go in the brown bin.
- Paper and cardboard that has touched food, like pizza boxes and paper plates, belong in compost, not recycling.
- Yard waste such as leaves, grass clippings, and branches goes in the brown bin or in paper yard waste bags.
- Plastic bags, even compostable ones labeled "compostable," do not go in the city's brown bins—use a reusable container or paper bag instead.
- Oils, dairy, meat, and bones are accepted and do not cause odor problems if the bin is managed correctly.
All food scraps, including meat and dairy
Put all food scraps in your brown bin. This includes meat, poultry, fish, bones, and seafood shells. It includes dairy products like cheese, yogurt, milk, and butter. It includes oils and fats. The city's composting facilities are designed to handle these materials—they do not create the odor or pest problems that home compost piles sometimes do.
Cooked food goes in the bin. So do leftovers, spoiled food, and food trimmings. Eggshells, nutshells, and fruit pits all belong in compost. If you can eat it or it came off something you ate, it goes in the brown bin.
The only food-related items that do not go in compost are those in packaging. Remove food from its container first. The container itself may be compostable (see the section on paper and cardboard below), but the food goes in the bin and the packaging goes in the appropriate stream.
Paper and cardboard that touched food
Food-soiled paper and cardboard go in the brown bin, not in your recycling. This includes pizza boxes, paper plates, paper napkins, paper towels, and takeout containers. The food residue makes these items unsuitable for the paper recycling stream, where they would contaminate the bales.
If a pizza box is greasy but has no food residue left in it, some recycling programs accept it—but the city's rule is simpler: when in doubt, compost it. Compost is the safer choice.
Paper bags (not plastic) can go in the brown bin if they held food or yard waste. Newspaper and plain cardboard with no food contact go in your blue recycling bin instead.
Yard waste: leaves, grass, and branches
Leaves, grass clippings, weeds, and small branches go in the brown bin. You can also bag yard waste separately in paper yard waste bags (available at hardware stores) and place them on the curb on collection day. The city collects both the brown bin and paper yard waste bags.
Cut branches into pieces no longer than 2 feet and no thicker than 1 inch so they fit in the bin or bag. Larger branches and logs do not go in compost collection—contact the Department of Sanitation for bulk waste pickup if you have tree limbs from a storm.
Do not include treated wood, wood chips from a commercial source, or sawdust from treated lumber. Natural yard waste only.
What does not go in the brown bin
Do not put plastic bags in the brown bin, even if they are labeled "compostable" or "biodegradable." These bags do not break down in the city's composting process and jam the equipment. Use a reusable container, a paper bag, or line your bin with newspaper instead.
Do not put glass, metal, or hard plastic in the brown bin. Do not put pet waste, diapers, or medical waste. Do not put coal ash or charcoal (wood ash from a fireplace is acceptable in small amounts). Do not put glossy or coated paper, wax paper, or parchment paper. Do not put synthetic materials, rubber, or leather.
Oils and fats go in compost, but do not pour liquid oil directly into the bin—it can leak and create a mess. Wipe oily pans with a paper towel and compost the towel, or let oil cool and solidify before composting it.
How to set up your brown bin for success
Line your kitchen container with newspaper, a paper bag, or nothing at all. When it is full, transfer the contents to your brown bin on the curb. If you live in a building with a shared bin, follow your building's instructions for when and where to deposit compost.
To reduce odor, wrap food scraps in newspaper before adding them to your bin. Keep the bin lid closed. In warm months, you can store the bin in a shaded spot or in a garage to slow decomposition and reduce smell.
If you notice fruit flies or other pests, the bin is usually too wet or contains meat that was not wrapped. Wrap meat scraps in newspaper and make sure the bin drains—do not add water or let rain accumulate inside.
Where your compost goes after collection
The Department of Sanitation collects brown bins on a regular schedule (check your neighborhood's collection day on the city website). The material goes to one of several composting facilities in the region, including the Newtown Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant in Brooklyn and facilities operated by private composting companies under contract with the city.
At these facilities, food scraps and yard waste are mixed, shredded, and left to decompose for several months. The finished compost is used in city parks, on street trees, and in community gardens. Some is also made available to residents through the city's compost giveaway program.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put meat and bones in the brown bin?
Yes. Meat, poultry, fish, bones, and seafood shells all go in the brown bin. The city's industrial composting process reaches temperatures high enough to break down these materials safely. Wrapping meat in newspaper can help reduce odor in your home.
What if my brown bin smells bad?
Odor usually means the bin is too wet or contains unwrapped meat. Keep the lid closed, wrap meat scraps in newspaper, and make sure water is not pooling inside. In warm weather, store the bin in shade or indoors. If the smell persists, the bin may need to drain better—drill small holes in the bottom if your building allows it.
Are compostable bags okay to use?
No. Bags labeled "compostable" or "biodegradable" do not break down in the city's composting facilities and jam the equipment. Line your bin with newspaper, a paper bag, or nothing instead. Reusable containers work well too.
Can I compost pizza boxes?
Yes, even greasy ones. Pizza boxes are food-soiled paper and belong in the brown bin, not recycling. If a box is completely clean with no grease or food residue, you can recycle it, but composting is always the safer choice.
What happens if I accidentally put something wrong in the brown bin?
Small amounts of contamination are sorted out at the facility. Larger items like plastic bags or glass can damage equipment. If you realize you made a mistake, remove the item before your bin is collected. If it has already been picked up, do not worry—the facility has screening equipment to catch most contaminants.