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There are a number of reasons why you might be researching commercial composting in NYC: your company may be worried about staying compliant with new regulations, you may want to meet shifting customer expectations, or you may be interested in enhancing sustainability.
Whatever the reason, we can all agree that improving composting efforts should be a priority for all companies—no matter how big or small.
Whether you own a restaurant, manage an office that produces day-to-day food waste, or oversee multiple buildings as a property manager, this article will help you understand the importance of NYC commercial composting, how to stay compliant, and tips for overcoming common challenges.
Key Takeaways
- Following the approval of Senate Bill S5331A, New York State expanded its Food Donation and Food Scraps Recycling Law by gradually lowering the annual average food waste threshold required for compliance—scaling it down every two years through 2028.
- By scheduling consistent pickups, assigning composting coordinators, tracking food waste regularly, and creating long-lasting partnerships with waste management companies, you can ensure an effective waste management system that supports compliance.
- Choosing a fully licensed and NYC-compliant waste management partner ensures proper waste separation, helps you avoid fines, and supports local sustainability goals.
- Contamination is a leading cause of composting program failure and added fees, so partnering with a food waste recycling company that goes beyond pickup—providing hands-on guidance, employee training, and ongoing feedback—is essential to keeping your program clean, compliant, and cost-effective.
What Is Commercial Composting and Why It Matters in NYC
Commercial composting is a large-scale process that involves collecting and processing organic waste to support waste reduction and environmental sustainability, often serving industries, municipalities, and institutions.
While important in every state and city, commercial composting in NYC is an especially complex issue, with unique challenges related to its dense population, diverse industries, and progressive environmental goals. In a city where food waste accounts for a large portion of business waste and landfill costs continue to rise, commercial composting has emerged as a valuable waste management solution.
What NYC Businesses Should Know About Composting Rules
Businesses must be aware of NYC commercial composting laws to avoid fines for noncompliance, support sustainability initiatives, and maintain a positive public image. That said, there are two main laws you should understand: one for residents and one specifically for businesses.
The residential NYC composting law requires all NYC residents to separate compost from trash and dispose of it properly. This law also requires all schools, New York City agencies, and nonprofit institutions to follow the rules for setting out trash, recycling, and composting.
Businesses, though, are most affected by evolving New York recycling laws. Following the approval of Senate Bill S5331A, New York State expanded its Food Donation and Food Scraps Recycling Law by gradually lowering the annual average food waste threshold required for compliance—scaling it down every two years through 2028.
Under this law, designated food scraps generators must separate edible food for donation, separate remaining food scraps from other solid waste, ensure proper storage for food scraps on site, and more. Businesses that may need to comply with commercial composting in NYC include supermarkets, large food service businesses, higher educational institutions, hotels, food processors, correctional facilities, and sports or entertainment venues.
Eligible Waste Types and Compostable Materials in NYC
So what’s commercially compostable in NYC?
In this section, we explain which items are compostable and which ones should be avoided to help you reduce food waste and minimize your environmental footprint.
Food Waste and Kitchen Scraps
NYC’s commercial composting program accepts a wide range of food scraps, including:
- Fruits and vegetables
- Eggshells
- Coffee grounds and tea bags
- Bread, rice, and pasta
- Expired food
- Meat, fish, bones, dairy, and prepared food, depending on program
Soiled Paper and Uncoated Compostable Paper Products
Soiled paper products that are not recyclable due to food contamination can also be composted. This includes:
- Paper napkins
- Paper towels
- Uncoated paper food trays
- Pizza boxes
*These items must be free of any plastic lining or synthetic additives to be accepted in compost bins.
Certified Compostable Packaging
Only packaging that meets the specifications of your composting hauler or processor can be accepted for composting. This typically includes materials that are BPI-certified or CMA-certified and may include:
- Compostable plates, bowls, and cups
- Compostable utensils
- Compostable bags or liners
Items That Cannot Be Composted
Now that we know what can be composted, let’s take a look at what items should stay out of your compost bin:
- Pet waste, diapers, and hygiene products
- Medical waste
- Plastic-lined or wax-coated paper products
- Biodegradable plastics without proper certification
- Styrofoam and foam containers
- Aluminum foil and metal
- Glass and rigid plastic
- Plastic bags (non-certified)
Why shouldn’t you compost these materials?
The reason is that these items either don’t break down in industrial composting facilities or they introduce contaminants that can cause the entire compost batch to be rejected.
It’s important to note that composting programs can vary, meaning items accepted in one program may not be accepted in another. That said, we recommend checking with your local composting program for specific guidelines.
How Businesses Can Stay Compliant and Sustainable with Commercial Composting NYC
Composting for businesses may seem intimidating, but there are certain strategies you can adopt to build sustainable, efficient business practices, including:
Staff Training
Your team should be well-trained on commercial food waste disposal to ensure that your waste management program is effective and contributes to long-term sustainability goals. Through ongoing staff education—such as training in waste separation, inventory management strategies, and the use of new waste tracking systems—your company can increase landfill diversion.
Clear Signage and Bin Placement
Separating waste at the source is key to ensuring NY organics are properly diverted from landfills. To encourage employees to participate—and reduce accidental human error—companies can provide well-labeled, color-coded bins and strategically placed signage throughout the workplace.
Working with Compost-Friendly Vendors
As companies increasingly search for ways to simplify compliance, one of the solutions that they can consider is working with a vendor who provides BPI-certified compostable products. This helps ensure compliance with commercial composting in NYC, reduces contamination in waste streams, and simplifies staff operations by effectively managing biodegradable waste—making it an appealing option for many businesses.
Integrating Composting into Sustainability Reporting (ESG/CSR)
Did you know that you can leverage NYC commercial composting to enhance your environmental reporting?
By integrating composting into sustainability reporting, your company can track and showcase its efforts in waste reduction, enhance transparency, and demonstrate its commitment to environmental responsibility—all of which contribute to a stronger brand image.
Creating a Long-Term Composting Workflow
One of the biggest recommendations we can provide is to start treating composting as a core operational process—not an optional task. By scheduling consistent pickups, assigning composting coordinators, tracking food waste regularly, and creating long-lasting partnerships with waste management companies, you can ensure an effective waste management system that supports compliance.
Common Challenges and How NYC Businesses Can Solve Them
Organic waste management isn’t without its challenges. However, there are strategies you can implement to overcome these obstacles, ensuring an effective and compliant waste management program.
Logistical confusion
From creating a pickup schedule and using bins properly to communicating with haulers and understanding the difference between aerobic vs anaerobic composting, implementing a successful strategy for recycling food waste is complex, time-consuming, and let’s face it, stressful.
Waste management companies like Shapiro offer clarity and flexibility through tailored collection services, taking the confusion out of commercial composting in NYC—all while ensuring you stay compliant.
Contamination
It’s not uncommon for employees to mistakenly place non-compostables in compost bins. However, this can lead to contamination issues or even rejection of entire compost loads by haulers. To prevent this from happening, guided signage, regular training, and service check-ins can help keep your composting program on track.
Storage constraints
Many NYC businesses have limited space and infrastructure for waste storage, making composting hard to manage effectively. If you can relate, you’re not alone. Rather than trying to navigate NYC commercial composting yourself, you can work with a company that specializes in waste management, as they’ll help you optimize bin placement, pickup frequency, and container size to facilitate the entire process.
Vendor complexity
usinesses that juggle different suppliers may unknowingly use non-compliant packaging. To ensure you’re not only composting food waste, but composting the right food waste and packaging, you can work with experienced food waste collectors who can support supplier audits or advise on packaging decisions.
Recordkeeping & Compliance Stress
Whether you need to report food waste in restaurants, track composting practices in corporate offices, or manage waste at large events, professional composting services can help with logs, compliance records, and reports. This not only ensures accurate documentation but also helps overcome the challenges of meeting regulatory requirements, reducing contamination, and streamlining the waste management process.
Choosing the Right Composting Partner in NYC
Choosing the right composting partner not only ensures you stay compliant but also helps you optimize overall program efficiency.
Here are 3 tips for choosing a composting partner that can help you manage NY organics the right way.
Ensure They Are Licensed and NYC-Compliant
Regulatory compliance is non-negotiable in New York City. That said, when choosing a waste management partner, one of your top considerations should be whether they are fully licensed and compliant with NYC’s commercial composting regulations.
This ensures they follow the city’s guidelines for waste separation and proper disposal methods, helping you avoid fines and stay aligned with local sustainability goals.
Evaluate Experience in Your Industry
Managing waste for a restaurant that generates large-scale organic waste is very different from handling waste for a corporate office that produces smaller amounts of food waste on a daily basis. With that in mind, working with a company that has experience in your industry ensures they understand your unique challenges and requirements.
Whether you need assistance from a biochar company or want to enhance your company’s agricultural waste recycling, Shapiro specializes in industry-specific waste management solutions designed to help you achieve your sustainability goals.
Ask About Contamination Support and Staff Training
Contamination is one of the top reasons composting programs fail or incur extra fees. To avoid this, choose a food waste recycling company that goes beyond just pickup, offering hands-on guidance, employee training, and regular feedback to help you maintain a clean, compliant, and cost-effective composting program.
Conclusion
While commercial composting in NYC may be a legal requirement, it’s also an opportunity to reduce landfill costs and meet sustainability expectations.
By reading this article, you’ve gained valuable insights into why composting matters, how to stay compliant, and potential obstacles you may face.
Now it’s time to ask: is your company complying with NYC composting regulations? What can you do to improve your waste management strategy?
At Shapiro, our sustainable waste management solutions help you create more efficient composting processes, achieve sustainability goals, and minimize your environmental footprint.
Contact us today to learn more about our services.
Baily Ramsey, an accomplished marketing specialist, brings a unique blend of anthropological insight and marketing finesse to the digital landscape. Specializing in educational content creation, she creates content for various industries, with a particular interest in environmental initiatives.
