New York City is stepping up its push for mandatory composting by rolling out fines for non-compliance starting April 1. The law, which went into effect last October, requires all residents to separate food scraps, yard waste, and food-soiled paper from regular trash. However, participation has been dismal, with less than 5% of household organic waste currently being diverted from landfills, according to public data.
To enforce the rule, city sanitation inspectors will begin issuing fines to landlords who fail to provide composting options for tenants. Fines will start at $25 for buildings with fewer than nine units and $100 for larger buildings, with repeat violations climbing as high as $300. Residents in smaller buildings or single-family homes will also be held accountable, as city officials stress that composting is now a legal requirement, not an option.
Low Compliance Rates and Public Confusion
While New York officials had hoped for a smoother transition, many residents remain unaware of the law. In neighborhoods with large apartment buildings, participation is particularly low, as many landlords have yet to set up composting bins. For example, a district in the South Bronx put out just two tons of compost for collection in February—compared to a staggering 1,375 tons of garbage.
Single-family homeowners, responsible for their own waste disposal, also appear largely unaware of the mandate. John Hunt, a 75-year-old Brooklyn resident and self-described naturalist, has been composting yard waste in his backyard for years but admitted he had no idea tossing food scraps in the trash was illegal. “That’s going to be a pain in the neck,” he said. “I’ll probably just do it the regular way until I get a ticket.”
Even in areas where past pilot programs saw strong composting participation, the rollout has been sluggish. A recent sanitation truck route in Canarsie revealed that only three out of 20 homes had set out compost bins. Martial Marcoux, one of the few residents following the rule, acknowledged the challenge of changing habits. “Maybe people don’t have enough time,” he said. “I think it’s just a personal thing.”
City Officials Defend the Program
Despite the rocky start, city officials insist the composting initiative is working and that enforcement will drive compliance over time. Acting Sanitation Commissioner Javier Lojan defended the program during a City Council hearing, stating, “We have made participation easy. Now it's up to New Yorkers to follow the law or face the summons.”
The Department of Sanitation has already issued 20,000 written warnings to property owners and is launching a massive public awareness campaign. A citywide mailer will remind residents about the composting mandate, and $2 million in federal funds will be spent on advertising. In-person outreach, including door-to-door visits, will also be ramped up.
Sanitation spokesperson Joshua Goodman noted that compost collection rates tend to drop in the winter months when less yard waste is produced. However, he remains confident that participation will increase as enforcement kicks in. “We know this takes time, but our easy universal program is working, and we have statistics to prove it,” he said.
What New Yorkers Need to Know
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Who Must Compost? Every NYC resident is required to separate organic waste from regular trash.
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How to Participate? Food scraps, yard waste, and food-soiled paper must be placed in designated bins for collection.
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When Will Fines Start? Beginning April 1, fines for noncompliance will be issued, starting at $25 for small buildings and $100 for larger buildings.
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How to Report Noncompliance? Tenants whose landlords fail to provide compost bins can file complaints via 311.
Will Enforcement Make a Difference?
New York’s ambitious composting plan aims to significantly reduce landfill waste, but officials acknowledge that changing behavior will take time. The city points to its curbside recycling program, which also saw low participation in its early years before eventually surpassing a 40% compliance rate.
Whether composting will follow a similar trajectory remains to be seen. But one thing is clear—starting next month, New Yorkers who ignore the mandate could find themselves paying the price.