Larger buildings will still be fined for not composting in NYC: officials
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NEW YORK (PIX11) – Composting fines for smaller buildings in New York City was paused on Thursday, but others can still expect to be ticketed, according to the mayor's office.
Officials said buildings with 30 or more units that don't comply with composting rules can still be fined. The buildings are given four or more warnings by the Department of Sanitation before they face an $100 fine, according to the mayor's office.
Despite fines being paused for some buildings, composting is still "mandatory," officials said.
"Make no mistake: Composting continues to be mandatory in New York City. Mayor Adams has led by example on this issue and composts daily," the mayor's office told PIX11 News in a statement. "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."
Nearly 3,600 tickets for non-composting were issued to New Yorkers since fines began on April 1, officials said. The city has picked up nearly 4 million pounds of compost just last week, according to the mayor's office.
Officials said tickets for non-compliance will be given out to smaller buildings with less than 30 units by the end of the year. Mandatory composting – where New Yorkers would have to separate their food scraps from regular garbage – started last fall.
Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here.