NYS Compost Awareness Week 2025

Sunday, May 4th - Saturday, May 10th, 2025

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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.

Learn more about how to celebrate Compost Awareness Week with the How to Celebrate ICAW Manual.

Theme for 2025: Sustainable Communities Begin with Compost!

From navigating skyscrapers to the far-reaching fields of corn or forested acres of rural America, composting is an essential element in developing a sustainable resources management plan for any community. Composting empowers communities to manage their own waste, create job opportunities and support healthy soils with locally made compost. The theme highlights that when we're repurposing the food that would go into the landfill, we're creating fresh nutrients for the soil, which regenerates the earth and provides healthier food for everyone in the community. Composting is an action everyone can participate in, no matter the size of your home, garden, or community! Together, through the power of compost, we can create a more sustainable future for our communities!

Learn more about how to celebrate Compost Awareness Week with the How to Celebrate ICAW Manual.

Local Educational Events

Do you know of events happening in your region? Submit information to kristine.ellsworth@dec.ny.gov to be considered for inclusion on this list. 

Compost Bin Sales - Order By Date

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” 2024 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: Sustainable Communities Begin with Compost!

Click HERE to access the ICAW Social Media Toolkit. 

Be sure to tag #ICAW2025, #compost, #SustainableCommunities

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:

Compost Videos & Music

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@dec.ny.gov. 

NYS Compost Awareness Week is a collaborative effort between the NYS Association for Reduction, Reuse, and Recycling (NYSAR3), the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), and the Institute for Sustainability Engagement (ISE) at Syracuse University.