A group of New York City Council members has introduced a bill that seeks to make food waste separation a voluntary practice rather than a mandatory, fine-enforced policy. The proposed legislation, Int. 1236, was introduced on April 10 by Councilmembers David Carr, Vicky Palladino, and Joanne Arriola, all members of the Council’s Common-Sense Caucus.
The bill comes just 10 days after New York City began enforcing its food waste separation regulations, which require residents to separate organic waste for composting. Since enforcement began on April 1, the New York City Department of Sanitation has issued 2,462 tickets, collecting a total of $61,550 in fines. Notably, during the first week of enforcement, the amount of food waste collected jumped by 240% compared to the same period last year, from 737,000 pounds to nearly 1.8 million pounds.
Mayor Eric Adams defended the city’s policy, stating that the goal of food waste separation is to promote environmentally friendly composting, not to generate revenue through fines. “Food waste separation is an eco-friendly policy for composting, not a means to raise fines,” he said.
Despite the mayor’s assurances, critics of the enforcement argue that the fines are excessive and unfair. Councilmember Ariola, one of the bill’s sponsors, stated, “No one should be forced to compost or punished for not doing so.” She went on to compare the current enforcement of food waste rules to “cash embezzlement.”
Under current city policy, households with one to eight units face a $25 fine for the first violation, $50 for a second, and $100 for each subsequent offense. For larger residential buildings with nine or more units, the penalties start at $100 for a first offense and escalate to $200 and $300 for subsequent violations.
If passed, the proposed legislation would eliminate these fines and change food waste separation from a mandatory, punitive program to a voluntary one, potentially reshaping the city’s approach to organic waste management.