New York City Enforcing Mandatory Garbage Sorting This Week, Offenders Face $25 Fine, Chinese Community Concerned

Starting from this Tuesday (April 1st), New York City’s efforts to reduce waste have entered a new phase as the Department of Sanitation (DSNY) has begun enforcing the Mandatory Composting Program, requiring residents to separate food waste from regular trash or face fines. This regulation affects nearly every adult resident, especially those in the Chinese community who enjoy cooking delicacies at home. Discussions within the community are mixed, with many feeling troubled and confused by the new mandate.

Residential waste sorting officially started last October with a six-month grace period during which residents only received warnings without penalties for non-compliance. As of April 1st, the grace period has ended, and enforcement has begun, with landlords and property owners facing fines for not adhering to the new guidelines.

Since last year, the Department of Sanitation has been conducting a series of seminars aiming to make the rules straightforward for residents to understand. External Affairs Coordinator, Hillary Bosch, stated in training sessions that residents don’t need to do anything special; they can continue taking out the trash as usual but must pay attention to the following points.

(1) Mandatory actions: Organic waste, such as food scraps, must no longer be mixed with regular trash for composting. Landlords of properties where inspectors find organic waste mixed with regular garbage in bags outside might face fines.

Note: Composting on the curbside is not obligatory; you can compost in smart garbage bins, community gardens, or at home.

(2) Garbage collection frequency by the Department of Sanitation: Once a week; regular trash and compost are collected on the same day.

(3) Organic waste is categorized into four types: yard waste, kitchen waste including cooked food and food scraps, napkins, tea bags, coffee filters, and clean pizza boxes, and any item labelled as “compostable.” All compostable waste must be placed in designated compost bins on recycling days.

“However, we don’t want to see materials like pet waste, medical waste, hygiene products, or diapers in the compost bins,” said Bosch. “So, anything else can still be thrown into the trash, but all food scraps and soiled paper from your kitchen and yard should go into the compost.”

Officials mentioned that residents can use plastic or sealed bags for composting, and then place these securely wrapped organic waste items in the trash bins, which is acceptable.

(4) Penalty measures: Landlords and property owners who fail to comply with composting regulations will face fines, starting from $25 for the first offense for buildings with 1 to 8 units, escalating to $50 for the second offense and $100 thereafter. Larger buildings with over 9 units will face stricter penalties, starting from a $100 fine for the first violation, increasing to $200 for the second violation, and $300 for subsequent violations.

Chinese residents in New York have been discussing the new regulations on social media platforms, particularly as many of them are landlords. They are concerned that if their tenants do not follow the rules, their workload might increase with the need to check trash contents.

Upon reviewing Chinese social media platforms, journalists found that several concerns were prevalent among residents: some were unsure about the packaging for kitchen waste, others worried about preserving food waste in the summer if trash collection is only once a week, and there were fears that the cost of trash cans and garbage bags would rise, thereby increasing the cost of living. Additionally, some reminded landlords to post notices in rental properties to ensure that tenants comply with the regulations to avoid penalties.

Many have called for community or sanitation department efforts to expand educational campaigns to ensure widespread understanding and compliance with the regulations, making it common knowledge. Residents also demand local legislators advocate for the people and closely monitor the fairness of enforcement.

Although New York City began enforcing mandatory composting regulations in October last year, compliance rates have been low. Public data indicates that less than 5% of households in New York City are currently separating organic waste from regular garbage.

The Department of Sanitation stated that public education campaigns will continue, urging all residents to participate.

For more details, please visit the Department of Sanitation’s composting website: https://reurl.cc/K8bYxp (scroll to the bottom for the “Chinese” option).