NYC's Curbside Composting Goes Citywide: What You Need to Know About the New Rules

NYC's Curbside Composting Goes Citywide: What You Need to Know About the New Rules

New York City's curbside composting program, previously available only in Queens and Brooklyn, has now expanded to all five boroughs, making it mandatory for residents to separate their food scraps and yard waste.

The new rules, which take effect on [date], require buildings with more than four units to provide a designated storage area for collection bins. Compost will be collected on regular recycling days year-round.

Here's what you need to know:

• What's compostable? Fruit and vegetable scraps, meat and bones, dairy, food-soiled paper, and pizza boxes are all good for composting.
• What's NOT compostable? Diapers, personal hygiene products, animal waste, non-paper packaging, foam products, metal, glass, plastic, and cardboard should not be put in your compost bin.
• Fines: The city will start fining New Yorkers who don't separate their compost in April 2025.

The expansion aims to reduce waste going to landfills, which release harmful greenhouse gases. The collected compost is sold to landscapers, home gardeners, and used for energy production.

Benefits of Composting

• Reduces landfill waste
• Reduces greenhouse gas emissions
• Creates a valuable resource for gardens and landscaping
• Helps address the city's rat problem

The city's Department of Sanitation is encouraging residents to embrace composting as a simple and effective way to contribute to environmental sustainability. While there is a learning curve, the benefits outweigh the challenges, and with the city's expanded program, composting is now easier than ever before.