Curbside composting rules will be widely enforced citywide beginning on April 1, meaning that Department of Sanitation (DSNY) fines will be levied against property owners that fail—or, in the case of landlords, whose renters fail—to properly sort their food waste. Fines will start at $25 for a first offense, and escalate up to $300 depending on how many units are in the building.
Specifically, buildings with between one and eight units will be fined $25 for a first offense, $50 for a second, and $100 for each offense thereafter. Buildings with nine or more units will face fines of $100 for the first offense, $200 for the second, and $300 for every subsequent offense. The collection schedule for any given address can be found at www.nyc.gov/assets/dsny/forms/collection-schedule.
According to the DSNY, compostable material includes the following:
* ALL leaf and yard waste, including flowers and Christmas trees
* ALL food scraps, including meat, bones, shells, and dairy
* Prepared and cooked foods
* Greasy uncoated paper plates and pizza boxes
* Products certified or labeled compostable
Under no circumstances, the DSNY said, should property owners (or renters) mix trash or recyclable material with the compost. Examples of trash are “wrappers, pet waste, medical waste, diapers, foam, personal, or hygiene products.” Recyclable materials could include “metal, glass, plastic, cartons, clean paper, cardboard.”
Composting bins are not difficult to spot for renters, as they’re required to be positioned in a “designated storage area.” They’re brown and have the DSNY logo on them, and can be purchased at www.bins.nyc. The first is free, but any additional ones go for $43.47.
However, property owners also have the option of using a clearly labeled 55-gallon bin, which is the limit of acceptable compostable material, if they prefer. They can order online a DSNY “decal” to label said bins as well. If owners have extra yard waste or leaf waste, the DSNY recommends putting it in a paper “lawn and leaf bag,” or a plastic bag.
The composting program was first rolled out last October, and was hailed by the Adams administration as the culmination of a decade-long promise to New Yorkers. It was also tied into his so-called War on Rats, considering that rodents are rather attracted to food waste.
Much of the compost collected by the DSNY is sent to the Staten Island Compost Facility, where it is transformed into a “natural fertilizer.” Some compost is also sent to places such as the Newtown Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant—located in Greenpoint, Brooklyn—where it undergoes something known as anaerobic digestion, which creates renewable bio-gas or fertilizer. Organic material that isn’t composted ends up going to landfills, which creates a form of bio-gas that releases planet-heating emissions.
For residents who may have additional questions about how to compost, whether out of sheer curiosity or a desire to avoid fines, there are two upcoming virtual trainings being held next month: one on April 10 at 4pm, and one on April 24 at 6pm.
Buildings with nine or more units will face fines of $100 for the first offense, $200 for the second, and $300 for every subsequent offense.