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Get Compost

NYC residents, nonprofit organizations, and agencies can get free, high-quality compost made from the leaf and yard waste, food scraps, and food-soiled paper we collect.

Commercial landscapers and other businesses can purchase compost in bulk. Learn more about purchasing compost, mulch, and woodchips for professional use.

Residents

We collect your food scraps, food-soiled paper, and yard waste, and turn it into compost – then give it back.

We operate Compost Giveback Sites in Staten Island (Fresh Kills), Brooklyn (Greenpoint), and Queens (Astoria) from April to September. We also hold Pop-Up Community Giveback Events throughout the City.

All NYC residents are eligible to receive free bags of compost.

Registration is REQUIRED. Limit ONE registration per household. If you are carpooling, each person picking up compost must show a separate registration and an ID with a distinct NYC address.

NOTE: This is for NYC residents ONLY. NO businesses or commercial vehicles.

Compost Giveback Sites

Staten Island Compost Giveback Site

450 West Service Road
Staten Island, NY 10314
Facility entrance at 600 West Service Road
(Route 440 South, Exit 7, Victory Boulevard)

Open: April 9, 2025 - September 27, 2025

  • Wednesdays, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
  • Saturdays, 9:00 - 11:00 AM

Registration opens 2 weeks before each event.

Register to get compost in Staten Island

Brooklyn Compost Giveback Site

459 N. Henry Street
Brooklyn, NY 11222
Giveback site near 530 Kingsland Avenue
Facility entrance off Kingsland Avenue, north of Greenpoint Avenue

Open: April 23, 2025 - September 27, 2025

  • Wednesdays, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
  • Saturdays, 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM

Registration opens 2 weeks before each event.

Register to get compost in Greenpoint

Queens Compost Giveback Site

77-28 19th Avenue
Astoria, NY 11105
Facility entrance at the end of 19th Avenue

Open: April 23, 2025 - September 27, 2025

  • Wednesdays, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
  • Saturdays, 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM

Registration opens 2 weeks before each event.

Register to get compost in Astoria

Pop-Up Community Giveback Events

Register to pick up 2 free 40-lb bags of compost.

Register for one event only. Registration opens two weeks before each event date.

Registration Open Now

Registration Opens Two Weeks Before Event Date

NYC Agencies and Nonprofits

We give free compost and mulch to NYC agencies and nonprofits for their programs, construction, or landscaping projects.

Private vendors may pick up compost and mulch on behalf of City agencies. Agencies must first provide certification verifying the vendor is:

  • Contracted to work with the agency on a project, and
  • Not charging the agency for the compost or mulch.

Download a sample verification letter.

Bulk Compost and Mulch

Compost and mulch are available in bulk for pickup at our Staten Island Compost Facility. Woodchips may also be available depending on supply.

Request a bulk compost or mulch appointment

Bagged Compost Pallet Deliveries

We deliver pallets of free compost between April and September to:

  • NYC agencies
  • Nonprofit organizations
  • NYC community gardens
  • Street tree care volunteer organizations

Each bag of compost weighs approximately 40 lbs, and each pallet contains 60 bags (2,400 lbs total).

Delivery Requirements

Your delivery location must meet the following requirements:

  • The delivery entrance must be at least 10 ft wide and have an overhead clearance of 10 ft.
  • Your street's width, parking and traffic conditions must allow for a 40 ft truck with forklift to safely unload pallets. If our drivers arrive at your location and determine the conditions are not safe for unloading pallets and/or do not meet location requirements, they will leave without completing the delivery.

You may be asked to provide additional documentation for us to verify your eligibility.

A member of your team MUST be on site IN PERSON to receive the delivery, otherwise your site will be removed from our list and will not receive another delivery opportunity in 2025.

Requesting a Delivery

  • You may only submit one request per site each calendar year.
  • The maximum quantity of pallets you can request is 2.
  • Submitting a request does not guarantee you will receive a compost delivery.
  • Your delivery date may be scheduled for several months in the future.
  • We cannot accept requests for specific delivery dates.

If your site meets eligibility requirements, you will be notified by email with an approximate delivery window. You will be contacted later by both phone and email with specifics about your delivery date and time.

Request a pallet delivery of bagged compost