Press Release
Photos and video HERE
NEW YORK, NY (Thursday, April 9, 2026) — The Central Park Conservancy announced a new partnership with Big Reuse, an environmental nonprofit that has supported New York City neighborhoods for more than a decade. Together, they are launching an on-site composting initiative that will convert horticultural waste generated in Central Park into compost used to care for the Park’s landscapes.
The composting site will process thousands of pounds of leaves, weeds, and other organic material generated through the Park’s daily care. The resulting compost will be reused throughout Central Park to support soil health, gardens, and landscapes while reducing waste sent off-site.
The initiative is part of the Conservancy’s broader effort to maximize sustainability in its management of Central Park’s 843 acres, reducing waste and supporting the long-term health of the Park all at once. Funded through New York City Council’s FY26 Community Composting Program, the initiative demonstrates how public investment can support practical, sustainable infrastructure in City parks. The project also aligns with pending City Council legislation calling for the development of composting facilities across New York City parks.
“Managing Central Park means thinking long-term about how we maintain and sustain this cherished landscape for future generations,” said Betsy Smith, President & CEO of the Central Park Conservancy. “This partnership reflects our commitment to sustainable practices by allowing us to reuse organic material generated in the Park and return it to the landscape. We are grateful to Big Reuse for bringing their expertise to this effort and to Council Members Gale Brewer, Shaun Abreu, and Julie Menin for their investment in the Park’s long-term care.”
Big Reuse brings more than a decade of experience operating community composting programs across New York City. Their work installing and managing composting systems makes them a strong partner in helping the Conservancy manage horticultural waste efficiently while demonstrating sustainable practices that can be replicated in other urban parks.
"Big Reuse is excited to partner with the Central Park Conservancy to improve composting in Central Park. Big Reuse has worked over the last decade to develop, support and operate innovative composting systems to support parks, communities and green infrastructure. We are thrilled to work with Central Park Conservancy to help meet their zero-waste goals through our composting operations,” said Justin Green, Executive Director at Big Reuse. “Additionally, we are grateful for NY City Council's ongoing support that makes community composting possible in NYC—Speaker Julie Menin's, Council Member Shaun Abreu's, Council Member Gale Brewer's, and Council Member Elsie Encarnación’s strong support of community composting has made this project possible. Utilizing a solar powered and affordable Dungster system, Big Reuse will turn the park's landscaping waste into a useful amendment to improve the soil and help make Central Park more resilient and greener."
City Councilmembers Gale Brewer, Shaun Abreu, Julie Menin, and Elsie Encarnación whose districts include Central Park and surrounding neighborhoods, have each played important roles in supporting composting and sustainable waste practices across the city.
“This is exactly the kind of on-site composting work our parks need. Turning plant waste into compost in Central Park reduces what we send off-site and supports healthier soils and landscapes across the Park’s 843 acres,” said Gale Brewer, NYC City Council Member. “As the Council Member for Central Park and the prime sponsor of Local Law 118 of 2024, which requires the Parks Department to establish composting facilities for plant waste in city parks, I am encouraged to see this initiative moving forward. Central Park is the most recognized public park in the country, and this work can serve as a model for parks nationwide. Thank you to the Central Park Conservancy and Big Reuse for their leadership in bringing this composting site to Central Park.”
“This is exactly the kind of smart, sustainable investment our parks need. Instead of sending thousands of pounds of organic waste off-site, we're turning it into compost that goes right back into caring for Central Park,” said Shaun Abreu, NYC City Council Majority Leader. “I'm proud to have supported this initiative through the Council's Community Composting Program, and I hope it serves as a model for parks across the city.”
"Turning in-park waste into compost on-site will help make our city more sustainable and support the long-term health of Central Park," said Julie Menin, Speaker of the NYC City Council. "Big Reuse has long been a model for what community-driven sustainability looks like, and their partnership with the Central Park Conservancy takes that work to new heights. The
Council is proud to support this initiative by funding the Community Composting Program, and we're hopeful this innovative partnership can be replicated citywide."
"Investing in composting infrastructure is a practical way to reduce everyday waste while strengthening the health of our critical public green spaces,” said Elsie Encarnación, NYC City Council Member. “By transforming organic material generated in Central Park into a compostable resource that nourishes its landscapes, this initiative reflects the kind of sustainable solutions our city needs. I am proud to support efforts that advance environmental stewardship, and I look forward to the expansion of such programs into more greenspace in my district."
“Dungster LLC is happy to assist the Central Park Conservancy and Big Reuse in composting in the Park, by supplying a solar powered, affordable and user-friendly compost technology,” said Tim Shuttleworth, Founder & CEO of Dungster. “No tools required, no power required and no hassles. We make composting easy."
By managing organic materials directly in the Park and returning them to the landscape as compost, the initiative helps reduce waste while supporting the ongoing care of Central Park’s lawns, gardens, and natural areas.