NYC’s New Composting Initiative

New York City’s City Council just passed a law requiring composting, stating that New Yorkers must set aside their food waste from other trash for composting purposes. This is on top of the mandatory recycling city dwellers are already participating in. So, here are the answers to a few questions you may have regarding the law.

Why? Composting is better for the environment and, well, the overall goal of this program is to reduce the effects of climate change. An added benefit is (hopefully) less rats!

Why is composting better than other methods? Composting is a better way to get rid of food waste than dumping it in landfills. This is because waste in landfills (like food scraps!) emit methane, which is a greenhouse gas that is much more potent than carbon dioxide.

Is NYC the first city to do something like this? Definitely not. NYC is actually way behind cities like San Francisco and Seattle, who started requiring composting in 2009! However, New York City officials hope that if their composting program succeeds, other cities will soon follow suit.

What is the consequence for not following the law? New Yorkers who do not abide by the composting laws will be subject to fines. Unfortunately (or fortunately), enforcement will likely not be high…if the recycling rates are any indication.

Who does this law affect? It does not matter what part of NYC you live in! It is mandatory for all the boroughs, with Brooklyn and Queens up first. However, this particular law does not affect those living in public housing OR any businesses; it is solely for residents.

When is this law going into place? The Mayor of New York City originally wanted this initiative to be voluntary. However, the City Council thinks otherwise. The main portion of the Mayor’s plan stayed though…that part being the timing. Curbside composting services will go into effect, borough by borough, with Brooklyn and Queens starting first this October. However, the law and fines citing compulsory participation will go into effect later, starting in Spring 2025. This separation between dates is there for a reason– the Mayor wants to give New Yorkers time to adjust to the law before fines are (supposedly) enforced.

What will be done with the collected & composted waste? The compost will be sold as fertilizer or animal feed. Some of the compost will even be turned into biogas, which is a renewable fuel that can be used to provide energy for things like producing electricity. The idea is, this composting program will have a turn-around effect and benefit NYC in the long run by raising money to fund the waste management program.

Overall, we cannot determine the success of New York City’s composting program until it goes into effect, but New Yorkers should prepare themselves because composting is coming soon!