On April 1 NYC Department of Sanitation (DSNY) will begin issuing fines to those who violate curbside compost.
Curbside composting rolled out in Brooklyn in October 2023. The City provided bins for those who requested them in time. The pick-up day for compost is designated the same as one’s recycling day. All food waste can go into the bins, even meat and dairy. This is different from community compost as curbside compost goes to a different process. It is recommended to separate yard waste from compost, but this is not enforced. However, yard waste and compost after April 1 will need to be separated from household trash.
Baruch College did a study of curbside compost participation during fall 2024 and noticed only 4.6% (average) participated.
In a past GREENLINE article published in May 2024, there didn’t seem to be much participation happening locally. I know landlords who refuse because they don’t have the space or worry about attracting pests or rats.
There are ways to compost to keep it pest free; put it in: the freezer, sealed containers, add paper to eliminate moisture, and others.
To assist the public with composting DSNY has offered webinars and info sessions here: https://www.nyc.gov/site/dsny/collection/residents/curbside-composting.page Beginning April 1, inspectors will check garbage for compostable waste. Those caught will be given a $25 for the first infraction for buildings with fewer than nine units. The second time it will be $50, and each subsequent offense will be $100. Fines for buildings with nine or more units start at $100, then go to $200, then $300 for the third and subsequent infractions.
The Greenline 