The Prospect Height Compost Bins Are Popular. Maybe Too Popular.

PROSPECT HEIGHTS, BROOKLYN — Residents are bemoaning a common issue in New York City — the new neighborhood hotspot has gotten too popular and overcrowded.

This time, it's about composting.

Prospect Heights residents say that the constantly filled bins are leading frustrated residents to simply dump their organic waste on the street instead of disposing of it properly, nixing the anti-rat benefits of the bins.

One resident who said she's lived in the neighborhood for over 40 years says that the seven bins in Prospect Heights, installed last month, are constantly full by late morning every day, leading to a mess of food scraps from frustrated composters.

"People don't care if they leave food because it doesn't affect them," the neighbor said, who declined to give her name. "This is a horrible idea, and the rats and birds basically have a bunch of dinner tables now."

Another resident told Patch that one bin on Park Place and Classon Avenue has never worked since it was installed.

And several people complained about that specific bin in a Facebook group, saying that they have sent complaints about the bin numerous times over the last few weeks via the NYC Compost app, which users need to unlock the compost bins.

A sanitation department spokesperson at first said that the bins were simply full — a sign of popularity — and that they were unaware of any complaints about a broken bin.

But after further inquiry, the official said that the electronics were replaced on that specific bin on Park Place and Classon Avenue Monday night as a precaution.

Additionally, the department said they were reviewing and evaluation the service level in Prospect Heights, which the official said was "way beyond others."

But the longtime resident told Patch that if DSNY can't service the bins to keep people from dumping their organic waste, they should probably just remove them.

"The summer is going to have all that food rotting and stinking and attracting MORE rats," she said.