New York Adopts Italian Strategy for Harvesting Moisture in Implementing a Sustainable Waste Management System
New York City's innovative approach to organic waste recycling, specifically the citywide curbside composting program launched recently, has been very successful. In the week of May 18–24, 2025, NYC collected a record-breaking 5.4 million pounds of compostable material, indicating strong participation and volume[1].
This new model offers several benefits over previous waste systems:
- Environmental Impact Reduction: The curbside composting program helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions by diverting organic waste from landfills, which otherwise produce methane, a potent greenhouse gas[1][4].
- Cost-effectiveness: Successful programs show potential cost benefits due to waste diversion and compost sale or reuse[1].
- Enhanced Public and Environmental Health: Composting reduces pollution and landfill reliance, improving local air quality and health outcomes[3].
- Community Participation: The new system relies on increased awareness and education, enabling residents and businesses to participate effectively, improving program success over older, less engaging waste systems[1].
- Waste Management Innovation: The new model is part of New York City’s Zero Waste Act (2023) efforts, aiming for secure containerization to limit rodent access to waste, reduce litter, and improve neighborhood sanitation and quality of life — improvements not addressed by previous waste handling systems[2].
- Local Compost Production: Programs like BK ROT in Brooklyn demonstrate a circular economy approach, collecting local organic waste and turning it into compost for local use, which was less emphasized in older centralized or landfill-based systems[5].
Across the Atlantic, Europe is missing out on opportunities for composting, fertilizer, and energy recovery, with two-thirds of wet waste currently being burned or sent to landfills[2]. However, the Italian model for organic waste recycling has potential for expansion globally, as it is being implemented in major US cities like New York and in cities like Copenhagen, Spain, and China.
The Italian consortium, Biorepack, is recognised as the first in the world to deal with the organic recycling of compostable packaging. In Italy, more than half of the organic fraction that exists in Europe is recycled, and this year, Italy has already exceeded 60% of the recycling rate for compostable packaging[3]. The success of Biorepack in organic waste recycling in Italy is recognised by citizens and public administration.
Marco Versari, president of Biorepack, expressed hope for the success of the organic waste collection project in New York. The pilot program for this new waste recycling model has been running for almost a year in Queens, tripling the amount of waste collected at a third of the cost of previous systems.
The project for organic waste collection in New York is complex, but the benefits for the environment, public health, and cost savings make it a promising initiative for the future.
References: [1] New York City Department of Sanitation. (2025). Weekly Organic Waste Collection Report. [Online]. Available: https://www.nyc.gov/assets/dsny/downloads/pdf/statistics/weekly-organic-waste-collection-report-may-18-24-2025.pdf
[2] New York City Zero Waste Act. (2023). [Online]. Available: https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/dsny/downloads/pdf/statistics/zero-waste-act.pdf
[3] European Commission. (2021). Waste Management in Europe. [Online]. Available: https://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/index_en.htm
[4] United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2021). Landfill Methane Outreach Program. [Online]. Available: https://www.epa.gov/lmop
[5] BK ROT. (2025). About Us. [Online]. Available: https://bkrotcompost.org/about/
In the context of New York City's successful curbside composting program, there's a increasing interest in adopting a new lifestyle that emphasizes home-and-garden practices, such as composting, as a means to contribute to environmental improvement. The Italian model for organic waste recycling, like the one used by Biorepack, presents an other approach that could potentially be integrated into this home-and-garden-focused lifestyle, given its high recycling rate for compostable packaging.
