NYS Compost Awareness Week 2026

Sunday, May 3rd - Saturday, May 9th, 2026

NYS Compost Awareness Week occurs each year during the first full week of May. Join NYSAR³ and communities across the State for this annual celebration that promotes International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW), an initiative by the Compost Research and Education Foundation (CREF) that strives to raise public awareness about the many benefits of composting and how to make and use compost to regenerate soils.

Theme for 2026: Compost! Feed the Soil that Feeds Us

Soil is the foundation of life. It grows the food we eat, filters the water we drink, and sustains the biodiversity that keeps our ecosystems in balance. Yet soil is also one of our most threatened resources, with erosion, top soil & nutrient depletion, and contamination endangering its health worldwide.

When we apply high quality compost, we are investing in the health of our soil, ensuring it continues to provide the food, clean water, and resilience that all life depends on. This year’s theme ties directly to UN Sustainable Development Goal 15: Life on Land, reinforcing that protecting and restoring soil is a global priority and one of the most impactful ways we can care for the planet.

Local Educational Events and Compost Bin Sales

Do you know of events happening in your region? Submit information to OrganicsRecycling@dec.ny.gov to be considered for inclusion on the list published on DEC's website. 

International Compost Awareness Week Social Media Toolkit

Are you looking to post social media for NYS Compost Awareness Week, but don't have the time to create it? The ICAW Committee has created a simple “plug and play” 2026 social media campaign toolkit (link below) that you can easily copy and paste into your social media feeds, share through emails, or print to distribute at planned events. The posts are based on this year's theme: Compost! Feed the Soil that Feeds Us.

Click HERE to access the ICAW Social Media Toolkit. 

Be sure to tag #ICAW2026, #compost, #feedthesoil

Food Scraps Drop-Off Sites & Collection Services

If you are unable to compost at home, check out the map below to see if there are food scraps drop-off programs or collection services near you.

If you are interested in helping your community to collect and compost more food scraps, consider becoming a "Soil Maker" or a "Soil Supporter" by checking out MakeSoil.  

Home Composting Resources 

Are you interested in learning how to compost at home or sharing educational composting resources with others? Explore the links below:

• NYS Department of Environmental Conservation:
  "Easy Home Composting!" Poster
• NYS Department of Environmental Conservation: 
• "Home Composting Guide"
• Cornell Waste Management Institute:
  "Composting at Home" Guide
• Cornell Cooperative Extension Tompkins County:
  "Quick-Start Guide to Compost"
• US Environmental Protection Agency:
  "Composting At Home" Web Page
• Institute for Local Self-Reliance:
  "Home Composting Basics"

Compost Videos & Music

• Kiss the Ground (Video):
  "The Compost Story"
• Nate & Hila (Music Video):
  "Compost (feat. DiorNoel) - A Portrait of the NYC Composting Community"
• Rot N' Roll (Music Album):
  "Rot'n'Roll" 

NYS CAW Local Leaders

Are you interested in organizing a compost-related event for your community or helping to promote NYS Compost Awareness Week? If so, consider joining a network of NYS compost educators, community organizers, and local governments who are actively participating and supporting each other in this year's celebrations. To join, email Kristine Ellsworth at OrganicsRecycling@dec.ny.gov.

NYS Compost Awareness Week is a collaborative effort between the NYS Association for Reduction, Reuse, and Recycling (NYSAR³) and the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).