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From City Streets to Statewide Sustainability: Assessing the Impact of New York City's Residential Curbside Composting Program on Greenhouse Gas Emissions & Potential for Statewide Extension

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New York City's residential curbside composting program, initially piloted in Queens, is set to expand citywide. The initiative attempts to address the significant methane emissions linked to landfilling food scraps by embracing alternative management methods such as composting and anaerobic digestion. This research assesses the potential impact of implementing a composting program modeled off of New York City’s program in each municipality in NYS. It first considers whether NYC’s curbside composting program has effectively reduced the greenhouse gas emissions associated with food waste through increasing the quantity of waste redirected from landfill disposal. Then, analysis of the city’s program is then used to consider the potential impact of the municipal food scrap recycling program on greenhouse gas emissions in the remainder of New York State. To evaluate the program's effect on greenhouse gas emissions, this study designs an evaluation methodology based on the availability of food scrap recycling facilities, emissions associated with transporting waste to recycling facilities, municipal population, and diversion rates. These measures provide insight into expansion and efficacy barriers in the area outside of NYC. Ultimately, this research seeks to determine if composting has the potential to become as integral to household habits and municipal policies as recycling has become.

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2024-05

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GHG; Waste Management; Composting; New York State; anaerobic digestion; rural development; policy analysis

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Government Document

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Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

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dissertation or thesis

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