<![CDATA[New York City (NYC) generates more than one million tons of compostable organic waste annually, most of which is still landfilled, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and resource loss. Objective: This review aims to examine the circular economy potential of source-separated organic waste (SSOW) in NYC, with a primary focus on the residential curbside organics program. Method: This study uses a systematic literature review approach by synthesizing peer-reviewed articles, government reports, program documents, and policy records related to composting, anaerobic digestion (AD), community composting, life-cycle assessment (LCA), and NYC’s regulatory framework. Findings: The findings show that landfilling organic waste produces nearly 400 kg CO₂e per tonne, whereas composting generates net negative emissions of approximately −41 kg CO₂e per tonne and dry AD for renewable natural gas yields −36 to −2 kg CO₂e per tonne. Although NYC’s mandatory curbside composting program was fully enforced in April 2025 and collected more than 30,000 tons of organics in 2024, residential capture rates remain below 5%, indicating persistent challenges in infrastructure, public education, contamination control, and multi-family building compliance. Implications: These results imply that an integrated system combining composting, AD, and community composting can improve resource recovery, climate performance, and social participation. Originality: The originality of this review lies in its integrated analysis of technical, environmental, regulatory, and community dimensions of SSOW management within a single circular economy framework, providing a policy-relevant perspective for advancing zero-waste strategies in dense metropolitan contexts.]]>
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