Organics Waste Requirements for NYC Businesses
A heads-up from the NYC Department of Sanitation: As of February 15, 2019, the NYC Department of Sanitation will begin issuing summonses to the following businesses not separating their organic waste:
- Food service establishments with a floor area of at least 15,000 square feet
- Food service establishments that are part of a chain of 100 or more locations in the city of New York
- Retail food stores with a floor area of at least 25,000 square feet
Since July 19, 2016, the following businesses have been required to separate organic waste:
- Food service establishments in hotels with 150 or more rooms
- Arenas and stadiums with a seating capacity of at least 15,000 people
- Food manufacturers with a floor area of at least 25,000 square feet
- Food wholesalers with a floor area of at least 20,000 square feet
Businesses covered by these rules must separate staff-handled food scraps, plant trimmings, food-soiled paper and certified compostable products from garbage and other recyclables. Business must also range for organic waste to be transported and/or processed separately from garbage and other recycling.
For more information on how to separate organic waste and how to transport in accordance with the rules, check out DSNY’s website.
Compost to Be; photo credit Emma Barney via Flickr/Creative Commons
Clare Doyle
Clare Doyle is a graduate of the M.A. program in Museum Studies at the University of Leicester, UK. She also holds a Graduate Diploma in Library and Information Studies as well as a B.A. in Archaeology and History from University Dublin, Ireland. She has worked for 30 years in library reference publishing in New York. Clare is the Vice President of Green Shores NYC, a non-profit group that advocates for a cleaner, greener and more connected waterfront in Astoria and Long Island City