NYC to temporarily pause compost fines for smaller buildings

NEW YORK (PIX11) – New York City is temporarily pausing fines on smaller buildings found not composting, city officials said Thursday.

Effective immediately, compost fines will not apply to buildings under 30 units in New York City, according to the mayor’s office.

Buildings with more than 30 units that have received more than four warnings from the sanitation department will still be fined $100 for not composting, according to the mayor's office. This policy will be expanded to all buildings by the end of the year, city officials said.

The mayor's office stressed that composting is still "mandatory," despite the pause in fines for smaller buildings.

A spokesperson for the mayor's office released the following statement.

"Make no mistake: Composting continues to be mandatory in New York City. Mayor Adams has led by example on this issue and composts daily, whether he is at Gracie Mansion or at City Hall, but he has also heard from New Yorkers across all five boroughs — including at town halls — who still have questions about this extremely important program. In an effort to facilitate even higher participation, we will conduct additional outreach and education on composting before issuing fines to the most persistent offenders who repeatedly refuse to compost. Through the end of the year, we will be distributing additional education materials and holding more community events about how to sort out waste."

Under New York City's composting rules, residents are required to separate food scraps, food-soiled paper, and yard waste from their trash.

Starting April 1, the city began fining property owners who don't separate compostable material from trash.

The sanitation department picks up compostable material each week on recycling day. Composting must be placed in a labeled bin with a secure lid or in a brown DSNY bin.

For more information about composting in New York City, click here.