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 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 2024 New York State Compost Awareness Week
New York State joins the international community in celebrating Compost Awareness Week each year in early May. Join us in preparing to celebrate 2024 NYS Compost Awareness Week May 4 - 10, 2024. This year's theme will be Sustainable Communities Begin with Compost! Learn more about the annual poster and bookmark contests. These contests run every year from September 1 to November 4.
Email [email protected] if you are interested in connecting with other compost educators or community organizers on 2024 NYS Compost Awareness Week or receiving the Compost Awareness Week Outreach Toolkit. Learn more about NYS Compost Awareness Week.
Funding Opportunities
Explore funding opportunities offered by DEC, EPA, USDA and others to support organics management related projects.
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
- October 2-4, 2024: Canada's 34th Annual National Organics Recycling Conference - Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada
- November 19-21, 2024: NYSAR3 Annual Conference & Trade Show - Cooperstown, NY
- January 27-30, 2025: COMPOST2025 - Phoenix, Arizona
- April 2025: NYS Organics Summit - To Be Determined
Professional Materials Management Organizations
- New York State Association for Reduction, Reuse and Recycling (NYSAR3) 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) 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) 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) 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.
