Composting Program Expanded to Manhattan on Oct. 6 but Won’t be Mandatory til Spring ‘25

The city’s composting initiative—a part of Mayor Eric Adams’ self-described “War on Rats”—expanded to Manhattan as of Oct. 6 and now includes all five boroughs.

One free composting bin per building is available from the Department of Sanitation, which administers the programs.

Jessica Tisch, the Commissioner of Department of Sanitation describes the program as “simple and easy to use.” Essentially, Tisch said, it is simply that food waste will now be put in its own bin rather than in the general household trash bins. She assured those who live in apartments that it will likely just mean a second bin at the same place New Yorkers already bring their garbage.

“It’s a win-win,” Tisch said. “It’s a win for the environment. It’s a win for rats.”

While the collections have already started at curbside, landlords and residents have some time to get into the practice of separating their trash before they face fines. “The city is giving New Yorkers about six months to grow accustomed to composting before it officially becomes mandatory in the spring of 2025,” noted city council member Eric Bottcher, who serves a district covering Chelsea, Hell’s Kitchen and parts of Greenwich Village.

Elizabeth K. Rogers is an 86-year-old resident of the Upper West Side, and she found herself having difficulty composting her food waste earlier this year.

After her Farmers’ Market stopped accepting compost, she went to a bin near her apartment, but was stumped when she saw she needed an app to use it. Rogers has what she describes as “a stupid phone,” so she needed help to use the app in order to compost.

“I made a sign saying, ‘I have a stupid phone. I need an app. Could you help?’” she said. “I was astounded. Within four or five minutes, people would come up to me.” She found herself in this position at least five or six times, she added.

Originally born in Poland, Rogers is an activist against climate change, and does all she can to help the environment.

“Maybe it’s because I’m from a country that survived two world wars, and so we’re used to sort of saving and not wasting,” Rogers said. “I think we waste so much energy over here.”

Composting is something she feels she can do to help the cause, and is willing to take extra steps in order to continue the practice. However, she fears that not everyone will have that attitude as the new program rolls out.

“I just worry that a lot of people ... will think that they have better things to do than separate their vegetable scraps,” Rogers said. “There’s a building on my block where ... they have been composting for several years — they even had one of those little composting bins out in the street, and then that disappeared. [The doorman] says that some of the people sort of resent it. So it’ll take some getting used to, but I think it’s worth it. A little bit that we can do to help our planet.”

The compost bins will be picked up the same day as bins currently hold other recycled materials are picked up.

Manhattan residents can order one free DSNY brown bin. There is a limit of ONE free bin per building. For information about purchasing additional bins, visit bins.nyc, where additional 55-gallon compost bins can be ordered for $43.47.

Compost must be set out in sealed bins of 55 gallons or less but residents don’t necessarily have to use the DSNY issued bins for compost. The main requirement is that the lid is secure enough to keep out the rats.

The move to require compost bins is just the latest in an ongoing effort to clean up the city’s streets. As of Nov. 12, all small apartment buildings containing between one and nine units as well as single family residential homes must use a bin with a secure lid for household trash. The chance to preorder a bin for that purpose has passed. The Sanitation Department promises that backorders placed before Oct. 1 it will be delivered before the new regulations go into effect. But residents can still go the web site that will direct residents to discounted bins, including a 35-gallon bin for $45.88 and a 45-gallon bin for $53.01.

There are fines for failure to comply starting at $50 for a first time offense and $100 for a second offense and $200 for a third offense and each subsequent one.