We all produce waste, but we rarely think about where it goes when we throw it “away.” A typical New Yorker produces 15 pounds of trash at home each week, contributing to a collective 3 million tons of residential waste generated in our city each year. Roughly one third of that waste is organic matter, such as food scraps, food-soiled paper, and yard waste. When organics are thrown in the trash, they end up in a landfill where they undergo anaerobic decomposition, producing methane gas. Landfills are the third largest source of human-related methane emissions in the U.S., and methane can be 36 times more effective than CO2 at trapping heat in the Earth’s atmosphere, therefore having a significant impact on climate change.

Fortunately, composting is a free and simple way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from both landfills and vehicles that transport waste to landfills. Under OneNYC, a long-term plan that aims to address the city’s challenges, including climate change, New York City has set a goal of sending zero waste to landfills by 2030 and aims to expand its Organics Collection Program to all residents by the end of 2018. Composting programs have become mandatory in Portland, San Francisco, and Seattle, but the population of these three cities combined is still less than that of Brooklyn or Queens alone. NYC’s composting program is voluntary but is projected to expand over the next year and may eventually become mandatory, like recycling.

Until then, pay-as-you-throw (PAYT) programs serve to incentivize voluntary recycling and composting. There are several PAYT models; residents may pay per bag or per unit of trash, or they may purchase trash bags from the city at a flat rate that includes a service charge. These programs can successfully reduce landfill waste, but municipalities must provide legal options for waste diversion and clear enforcement policies. One hundred forty-seven cities and towns in Massachusetts and eight municipalities in New Jersey have implemented PAYT systems. Similar programs have been successful in some European countries as well. While municipalities may adopt their own PAYT waste collection programs, they may also hire a third party to do the job. One concern with this approach is the potential for backlash—uncooperative residents seeking to cut costs have illegally dumped or burned trash. However, such illegal diversion was a smaller problem than anticipated in most communities, especially where firm enforcement policies and deterrents were in place.

NYC’s residential composting program is already the largest in the country, but there is still progress to be made. Last year, about 23,000 tons of organics were collected and diverted from landfills–only about 2 percent of the city’s organic waste. Brown compost bins, which can be spotted throughout Brooklyn and Queens for curbside collection, are to expand to more neighborhoods across the five boroughs within the next year.

For those who fear pests and rotting food odors, rest assured. The brown compost bins distributed by the Department of Sanitation are made of thick plastic and elevated several inches off the ground, out of the smell range of rats. Separating food waste from other garbage can eliminate odors in the home, particularly if compost is kept in a sealed container or in the freezer. Click here for more information about composting options in your neighborhood.

By Rachel Manning