Astoria Jun 04, 2019 Getting Dirty: How to Compost in Astoria As people become more educated about the environmental effects humans have on the planet, especially with garbage, we’re more aware than ever of being selective about using and disposing of (…) Share this Scoop by Claire Leaden total shares! Twitter Facebook Email Print As people become more educated about the environmental effects humans have on the planet, especially with garbage, we’re more aware than ever of being selective about using and disposing of (…) by Claire Leaden Share this Scoop total shares! Twitter Facebook Email Print Related scoops Pet-Friendly Places in Queens How to Pack the Best Summer Picnic–No Matter Which Ast (...) Triborough Bridge Playground C + Dog Run NOW OPEN You can bring your compost to the Socrates Sculpture Greenmarket, thanks to Build It Green!NYC As people become more educated about the environmental effects humans have on the planet, especially with garbage, we’re more aware than ever of being selective about using and disposing of harmful items like plastics. But, there is even more we can do. Did you know that an entire 1/3 of waste produced by New Yorkers is yard waste and food scraps? One easy way to use that waste for good to create soil or renewable energy—oh, and stop tempting roaches and rats in your apartment—is by dropping off your food scraps for composting! Don’t let the process intimidate you. Thanks to the Department of Sanitation’s Organics Collection Program it has gotten much easier for city residents to participate. All you have to do is drop off your scraps at designated sites and the department will make sure they are composted locally. First-off, a few best practices: YES, BRING: Fruit and vegetable scraps, non-greasy food scraps (rice, pasta, bread, cereal, etc.), coffee grounds and filters, tea bags, egg shells, nut shells, pits, cut or dried flowers, houseplants, potting soil NO, DON’T BRING: Meat, fish, bones, greasy food scraps, fat, oil, dairy, animal waste (including litter and bedding), coal or charcoal, coconuts, diseased and/or insect-infested plants/soil, biodegradable/compostable plastics STORING YOUR SCRAPS: To reduce odor and prevent pests, store your food scraps in a paper bag or reusable container in your freezer or refrigerator. Now, where & when to drop-off (even I didn’t know the libraries were an option!): 21st St F Station (NW Corner of 21st St at 41st Ave): Tuesdays 8-11am Broadway N/W (32-15 31st St): Tuesdays 8-11am Ditmars Blvd N/W Commuter Drop-Off (22-75 31st St): Tuesdays 8-11am Queens Library at Broadway (40-20 Broadway): UPDATE (from reader): As of December 30, 2019, a rep at the Broadway library (near Steinway) told me that their compost dropoff has changed from MONDAYS to THURSDAYS (but with the same hours of 1-7p). Queens Library at Steinway (21-45 31st St): UPDATE (from reader): Since the Steinway Library is closed for renovations, the compost drop-off is located under the Amtrak bridge at the Ditmars subway stop, on the east side of 31st St. I believe their dropoff day has also been CHANGED….from Tuesday mornings…to Friday mornings Astoria Library (14-01 Astoria Blvd): Mon & Thurs 1-8 p.m.; Tues 1-5 p.m.; Weds, Fri & Sat 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Socrates Sculpture Park (Broadway & Vernon Blvd): Daily 9am-Sunset Hellgate Farm (14-33 30th Dr): Accepts scraps in a DSNY-bin from Wednesdays through Sundays. Please no bread products, though! Junkluggers (33-56 11th St.): CLOSING JULY 8; Mon & Tues 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Brooklyn Grange (37-19 Northern Blvd Roof): May- Oct; Sat 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Sunnyside Greenmarket (Skillman Ave & 43rd St): Saturdays 8am-2pm Jackson Heights Greenmarket (34th Ave & 77th St): Sundays 8am-2pm Will you be making a renewed (no pun intended) effort to compost more this summer? Let us know if you have any other questions about this program! Twitter Facebook Email Print compostcompostingenvironmentgardeninggo greengreenmarketsParks Related scoops Pet-Friendly Places in Queens How to Pack the Best Summer Picnic–No Matter Which Ast (...) Triborough Bridge Playground C + Dog Run NOW OPEN 21 Comments Isabel August 26th, 2020 Are these sites still active? Reply clark May 27th, 2020 Big Reuse is not operational and I’m curious to know if the Hellgate 14-33 30th dr. location is currently accepting food scraps…? Reply Brian McCarthy January 7th, 2020 The drop off by the Broadway N, W has been rescheduled for Fridays from 7:30am – 10:30am. It’s in the parking lot across the street from the Rite Aid. Reply lynn nevins December 30th, 2019 NOTE: As of December 30, 2019, a rep at the Broadway library (near Steinway) told me that their compost dropoff has changed from MONDAYS to THURSDAYS (but with the same hours of 1-7p). Also, I believe I also recently heard that…the temporary location for the Steinway library (the library on 31st St. btwn Ditmars and 21st Ave)…their temporary dropoff location under the elevated N/W at Ditmars…. that their dropoff day has also been CHANGED….from Tuesday mornings…to Friday mornings…. It’s unfortunate that it’s so hard to keep track of all these changes. I really wish the city would just go ahead and implement a viable compost pickup program for all residences, just as they do for ‘recycling’. For those of us who don’t have cars and/or much space to hold our compostables (until the next dropoff day comes around), it’s a bit of a pain in the butt… having to store all this stuff in our small freezers…then schlepping it to the nearest dropoff location… Reply Jessica July 23rd, 2019 Has anyone actually seen the drop off location at the Broadway station? I’ve been looking for it for a few weeks but haven’t been able to find it. Reply Breanne July 5th, 2019 Maybe I missed it, but what containers are acceptable for dropping off compost? Reply Claire Leaden July 5th, 2019 You bring your container back – you just dump the contents into the bins! Reply Joey June 8th, 2019 What about for recycling TVs and electronics? The events at the park seem only 2x year and Best Buy charges? Is there a place in queens to drop off? Thanks! Reply Ap July 6th, 2019 GreenChip ewaste is a for-profit electronic recycling company with an Astoria location – they accept donations year round. https://weheartastoria.com/2018/11/greenchip-ewaste-now-open-astoria/ Reply Ap June 8th, 2019 Big Reuse Queens closed over a year ago – is there still a compost drop off there? I’ve been doing compost drop offs for maybe 4 years at this point, and it makes a huge difference! Much less trash, trash is less smelly, and fewer fruit fly issues! Reply E June 17th, 2019 No, the compost buckets by the Big Reuse are no longer there since it closed, Reply Aimee June 7th, 2019 I think there’s another dropoff at the Queens Library by the Park (14-01 Astoria Blvd, Astoria, NY 11102) also maybe at Hellgate Farm? https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/dsny/site/services/food-scraps-and-yard-waste-page/nyc-food-scrap-drop-off-locations Reply Lily June 8th, 2019 Yes, Hellgate Farm at 14-33 30th Drive accepts scraps in a DSNY-bin from Wednesdays through Sundays. Please no bread products, though! Reply Claire Leaden June 19th, 2019 Thanks, I’ve updated! Reply Christin June 4th, 2019 Thanks for sharing I think you are missing Queens Library: Astoria. I saw someone dropping off outside. Reply Claire Leaden June 5th, 2019 I think that is Queens Library Broadway at 40-20 Broadway, no? Or is there another you’re referring to? Thank you! Reply John Surico June 6th, 2019 Three branches in Astoria: the Astoria branch (near the river); the Steinway branch (under renovation); and the Broadway branch (at 40-20 Broadway)! Reply Claire Leaden June 19th, 2019 Thank you! I’ve added Reply John Surico June 4th, 2019 You can always drop off compost at the Astoria branch of Queens Library, when it’s open! Reply Koto June 4th, 2019 Since the Steinway Library is closed for renovations, the compost drop-off is located under the Amtrak bridge at the Ditmars subway stop, on the east side of 31st St. Reply Claire Leaden June 5th, 2019 Thank you so much – I’ll update! Reply Leave a Reply Cancel replyYour email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment * Name * Email * Website Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
clark May 27th, 2020 Big Reuse is not operational and I’m curious to know if the Hellgate 14-33 30th dr. location is currently accepting food scraps…? Reply
Brian McCarthy January 7th, 2020 The drop off by the Broadway N, W has been rescheduled for Fridays from 7:30am – 10:30am. It’s in the parking lot across the street from the Rite Aid. Reply
lynn nevins December 30th, 2019 NOTE: As of December 30, 2019, a rep at the Broadway library (near Steinway) told me that their compost dropoff has changed from MONDAYS to THURSDAYS (but with the same hours of 1-7p). Also, I believe I also recently heard that…the temporary location for the Steinway library (the library on 31st St. btwn Ditmars and 21st Ave)…their temporary dropoff location under the elevated N/W at Ditmars…. that their dropoff day has also been CHANGED….from Tuesday mornings…to Friday mornings…. It’s unfortunate that it’s so hard to keep track of all these changes. I really wish the city would just go ahead and implement a viable compost pickup program for all residences, just as they do for ‘recycling’. For those of us who don’t have cars and/or much space to hold our compostables (until the next dropoff day comes around), it’s a bit of a pain in the butt… having to store all this stuff in our small freezers…then schlepping it to the nearest dropoff location… Reply
Jessica July 23rd, 2019 Has anyone actually seen the drop off location at the Broadway station? I’ve been looking for it for a few weeks but haven’t been able to find it. Reply
Breanne July 5th, 2019 Maybe I missed it, but what containers are acceptable for dropping off compost? Reply
Claire Leaden July 5th, 2019 You bring your container back – you just dump the contents into the bins! Reply
Joey June 8th, 2019 What about for recycling TVs and electronics? The events at the park seem only 2x year and Best Buy charges? Is there a place in queens to drop off? Thanks! Reply
Ap July 6th, 2019 GreenChip ewaste is a for-profit electronic recycling company with an Astoria location – they accept donations year round. https://weheartastoria.com/2018/11/greenchip-ewaste-now-open-astoria/ Reply
Ap June 8th, 2019 Big Reuse Queens closed over a year ago – is there still a compost drop off there? I’ve been doing compost drop offs for maybe 4 years at this point, and it makes a huge difference! Much less trash, trash is less smelly, and fewer fruit fly issues! Reply
E June 17th, 2019 No, the compost buckets by the Big Reuse are no longer there since it closed, Reply
Aimee June 7th, 2019 I think there’s another dropoff at the Queens Library by the Park (14-01 Astoria Blvd, Astoria, NY 11102) also maybe at Hellgate Farm? https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/dsny/site/services/food-scraps-and-yard-waste-page/nyc-food-scrap-drop-off-locations Reply
Lily June 8th, 2019 Yes, Hellgate Farm at 14-33 30th Drive accepts scraps in a DSNY-bin from Wednesdays through Sundays. Please no bread products, though! Reply
Christin June 4th, 2019 Thanks for sharing I think you are missing Queens Library: Astoria. I saw someone dropping off outside. Reply
Claire Leaden June 5th, 2019 I think that is Queens Library Broadway at 40-20 Broadway, no? Or is there another you’re referring to? Thank you! Reply
John Surico June 6th, 2019 Three branches in Astoria: the Astoria branch (near the river); the Steinway branch (under renovation); and the Broadway branch (at 40-20 Broadway)! Reply
John Surico June 4th, 2019 You can always drop off compost at the Astoria branch of Queens Library, when it’s open! Reply
Koto June 4th, 2019 Since the Steinway Library is closed for renovations, the compost drop-off is located under the Amtrak bridge at the Ditmars subway stop, on the east side of 31st St. Reply