The Organics Dilemma

Which comes first? A source of organic waste and feedstock, or organics processing capacity? The fear is that people will become discouraged and stop sorting their food scraps and yard waste from regular trash. The challenge is getting uncontaminated organics from school cafeterias where students have very little time to eat, let alone sort their leftovers.

Organics represent 1/3 of our waste stream. Organics can be composted or used to generate natural gas. Why are we filling up landfills with organics?

18% of methane emissions come from landfills. Methane is 21 times more effective at preventing infrared radiation from escaping our planet than CO₂.

Composting is Recycling — Down to Earth!

Organic waste or "Garbage" is the oldest form of waste. Since it can decompose into rich soil it's not bad stuff. Whether organic waste decomposes naturally in a compost pile, or in an anaerobic/biogas digester, it produces a soil amendment that is superior to synthetic fertilizers for growing trees, flowers, and vegetables.

Organic waste is generally divided into two classes:

  • Kitchen Scraps like potato peels, egg shells, coffee grounds, and apple cores.
  • Yard Waste, such as leaves, grass, and branches.

Kitchen scraps and yard waste account for almost 22% of New York City's waste.

Considering that it costs New York City tax payers about $300,000,000 per year to export waste to landfills in other communities, spending $67,500,000 of that on kitchen and yard waste seems like a lot.

The EPA Food Recovery Hierarchy

The EPA's Food Recovery Hierarchy recommends anaerobic digestion over landfill and incineration. The hierarchy prioritizes:

  1. Source Reduction — reduce the volume of surplus food generated
  2. Feed Hungry People — donate extra food to food banks and shelters
  3. Feed Animals — divert food scraps to animal feed
  4. Industrial Uses — provide waste oils for rendering, fuel conversion
  5. Composting — create nutrient-rich soil amendment
  6. Landfill/Incineration — last resort for food waste

Biogas and Anaerobic Digestion

Anaerobic digestion technology converts post-consumer organic waste into fuel and soil amendments. The process occurs in sealed containers where microorganisms break down organic material in the absence of oxygen, producing biogas that can be used to generate electricity or heat.

The USDA's Rural Energy for America Program supports renewable energy systems and energy efficiency improvements through guaranteed loans and grants. While these resources are primarily directed toward rural farmers, the requirements are basically the same for post-consumer food waste. The key is having a "clean" feedstock.

The Department of Energy's considerable investment in biomass technology provides a roadmap for converting post-consumer organic waste into fuel. Bioenergy represents a significant opportunity for America's energy future, showcasing examples of bioenergy innovations across the biomass supply chain and the United States.

NYC Organics Collection

New York City has been expanding its organics collection program to reach more residents across all five boroughs. The program allows residents to separate food scraps, yard waste, and food-soiled paper from regular trash for curbside collection.

Collected organics are processed at composting facilities and anaerobic digestion plants, where they are converted into compost for parks and community gardens, or into renewable energy for the city's power grid.

The program represents a significant step toward the city's zero waste goals and helps reduce the massive cost of exporting waste to out-of-state landfills.

Take Action on Organic Waste

Start composting at home or use your curbside organics collection service. Every food scrap diverted from the landfill makes a difference.

Frequently Asked Questions

Organic waste for composting includes kitchen scraps like potato peels, egg shells, coffee grounds, apple cores, and other food remnants. Yard waste such as leaves, grass clippings, and small branches also qualifies. Food-soiled paper products like napkins, paper towels, and pizza boxes can typically be composted as well.

Items that should not be composted include meat, dairy, and oily foods in home composting systems, though many municipal and commercial composting facilities can handle these materials. Always check with your local program for specific guidelines on what they accept.

Composting is an aerobic process that uses oxygen-breathing microorganisms to break down organic material into humus, a nutrient-rich soil amendment. It requires regular turning or aeration and produces carbon dioxide as a byproduct. The process typically takes several weeks to months depending on conditions.

Anaerobic digestion occurs in sealed, oxygen-free containers where different microorganisms break down organic material. This process produces biogas, primarily methane and carbon dioxide, which can be captured and used as renewable energy. The remaining material, called digestate, can be used as fertilizer. Anaerobic digestion is faster than composting and has the added benefit of generating usable energy.

When organic waste decomposes in landfills, it does so anaerobically, producing methane gas that escapes into the atmosphere. Methane is approximately 21 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide over a 100-year period. Landfills are responsible for about 18% of methane emissions in the United States.

Beyond climate impact, sending organics to landfills wastes valuable resources. Composted organic material produces rich soil amendments that reduce the need for synthetic fertilizers. Anaerobic digestion of food waste generates renewable natural gas. Every ton of organics diverted from landfills represents both environmental benefit and economic value recovered.

Organic waste accounts for approximately one-third of New York City's total waste stream. Kitchen scraps and yard waste alone make up about 22% of the city's refuse. When you include food-soiled paper and other compostable materials, the organic fraction becomes even larger.

New York City spends approximately $300 million per year exporting waste to out-of-state landfills. A significant portion of that cost goes toward transporting organic material that could be processed locally through composting or anaerobic digestion. Diverting organics from the waste stream represents one of the most impactful opportunities for reducing both costs and environmental harm.

The EPA Food Recovery Hierarchy is a framework that prioritizes the most environmentally beneficial ways to handle food waste. At the top of the hierarchy is source reduction, preventing food waste from being generated in the first place. Next comes feeding hungry people through food banks and donation programs, followed by feeding animals with food scraps.

The lower tiers of the hierarchy address food waste that cannot be prevented or redirected. Industrial uses like rendering and biofuel production come next, followed by composting and anaerobic digestion. Landfill disposal and incineration are the least preferred options. The hierarchy guides businesses, municipalities, and individuals toward the most sustainable food waste management practices.