Join the Class of 2026: January 27 - March 18
Have you ever wondered…
How does NYC handle 44 million pounds of trash every day?
Can less waste actually make neighborhoods safer and healthier?
What would happen if thousands of New Yorkers became sustainability leaders?
If this is you, NYC Trash Academy is your next step.
WELCOME TO NYC TRASH ACADEMY
Launching January 27, 2026, for the 6th year, we are offering a free learning series that invites New Yorkers who care about waste, equity, and the environment to understand how our daily habits and city systems shape the health of our communities. Together, participants from all five boroughs will explore how trash affects our climate, our health, our neighborhoods, and the future of NYC.
Created by the
Sanitation Foundation, NYC Trash Academy (NYCTA) brings together leading experts in waste management, environmental justice, and sustainability. Through accessible, science-based programming, we offer comprehensive learning on everything from food waste and recycling to environmental justice and the circular economy. We are equipping residents with the tools to make meaningful, measurable change.
What Trash Academy Graduates Become
Graduates become advocates and problem-solvers - neighbors who reduce waste, champion cleaner streets, uplift their communities, and strengthen sustainability efforts across NYC. They shape conversations, inspire action, and help build a city where everyone benefits from cleaner, safer, healthier public spaces.
Be Part of the Movement
By joining or supporting NYC Trash Academy, you help create a future where every New Yorker has the knowledge and tools to make a lasting impact in their neighborhood and across our city.
Please consider supporting NYC Trash Academy with a donation - Your gifts directly fund the continued training of the next generation of community stewards and clean-city ambassadors, improving the quality of life across the city.
