This fall, New York City expanded its curbside composting program to all five boroughs, good news for New Yorkers looking to lessen their environmental footprint. As part of the program, residents must now separate their food scraps and yard waste from other garbage and place them in a bin for pickup.
The average New York City household generated nearly 1,900 pounds of trash in 2023, according to a study by the Sanitation Department. About 36 percent of that waste was food scraps and other organic material, so composting could greatly reduce the amount of trash hauled to landfills. Composting would also curb greenhouse gas emissions and help combat the city’s rat problem by cleaning up the streets.
Composting rules can be confusing. How one city treats its compostable materials might be different from another. Here’s a breakdown of how it works in New York City.
What exactly is composting?
Composting is the decomposition of organic waste, like food scraps, into a carbon- and nutrient-rich fertilizer, said Whendee Silver, an ecosystem ecologist at the University of California, Berkeley. “Some people think it’s gross, but it’s a completely natural process,” she said.
New York City has a long history with composting. In 1990, 1,000 tons of leaves were composted under a pilot program at Edgemere landfill, a Queens facility that has since closed. This current citywide initiative started with a pilot program that began in fall 2022 in Queens.
What can I compost?
Leaves and yard waste, food scraps and food-soiled paper are accepted, according to the Sanitation Department. “This includes meat, bones, dairy, prepared foods, greasy uncoated paper plates and pizza boxes, and products certified or labeled compostable.”
Don’t throw diapers, personal hygiene products or animal waste in your composting bin — those all should be disposed of in a regular trash bin. Avoid putting recyclables into your composting bin as well; many recyclable products are not compostable.
What should I do with my scraps before disposing of them?
For keeping compostable scraps in your home, Wirecutter recommends several receptacles — such as bowls, bags and bins — some of which are designed to keep bad odors at bay. When it’s time to dispose of your scraps, you’ll need a compost bin: You can use any labeled bin (no larger than 55 gallons) with a secure lid, or you can order a composting bin online.
Line your bin with a clear plastic, paper or compostable bag to help keep it clean and then throw in your compost. “We have machines to separate bags and other inorganic material from organic material,” Vincent Gragnani, a Sanitation Department spokesman, said in an email. Be sure to seal the bag before putting the bin out for collection, on the same day as your recycling.
How do I compost if I live in a multiunit building?
Buildings with at least four units are required to provide a storage area and labeled bin to collect compostable material. Check with your superintendent or management company to find your storage area and learn any rules your building may have.
Having trouble getting to your building’s composting bins? As Jill Terreri Ramos previously reported for the Real Estate section, it is not technically prohibited for a building to limit your access to bins. Try to enlist neighbors to approach management with any concerns you have.
Where do my scraps go?
The Sanitation Department will take your compostable materials to one of its processing facilities, such as the Environmental Protection Department’s wastewater treatment plant in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, or the Staten Island Compost Facility.
The compost facility has produced about 42 million pounds of finished compost annually over the last several years. Sixty percent of the finished compost is sold to landscapers, and 40 percent is given away to community groups, parks, residents and others.
Will I be penalized for not composting?
There’s a grace period. But starting April 6, all New York residents will be subject to fines for not composting. The exact fine depends your building size. Buildings with fewer than nine units will be fined $25 for the first offense, $50 for the second and $100 for subsequent offenses. Buildings with nine or more units will be fined $100 for the first offense, $200 for the second and $300 for subsequent violations, according to the Sanitation Department’s website.
The post Curbside Composting: What to Do and What Not to Do appeared first on New York Times.
