Make Composting Easy With CITIBIN

NYC’s New Composting Rules Are Here. Here’s How CITIBIN Helps Keep All Of Your Waste Streams Organized.

10 second recap: As of April 1st, composting is mandatory in all five boroughs of NYC. Let us walk you through the rules and how to properly compost and securely store your organic waste until collection day.

New York City’s composting rules just got serious. As of April 1st, 2025, composting was mandatory in all 5 boroughs. Property owners must now separate food scraps, food soiled paper, and yard waste from regular trash. Failing to comply will eventually result in fines, however Deputy Mayor Randy Castro has ordered the Department of Sanitation to cease issuing summonses for the time being.

But here’s the good news: staying compliant doesn’t have to be complicated or unsightly. CITIBIN’s modular enclosures make it easy for New Yorkers to separate their waste streams, protect against rats and other pests, and keep their front yards looking clean and organized.

What you need to know about NYC’s Compost Law

The rules are simple:

• Compostable items, like food scraps (including meat, bones, and dairy), food soiled paper (like greasy pizza boxes), and yard waste must be separated from regular trash.
• These items must be placed in bins 55 gallons or less, with secure lids and proper labels
• DSNY comes to collect compost every week on your recycling day.
• Fines for non-compliance will eventually start at $25 and increase up to $300 for repeat violations, depending on building type and size.

For more information about what and what not to compost, you can read more about DSNY’s guidance here. You can also listen to their webinar on YouTube.

How CITIBIN Makes Composting Easy

CITIBIN’s modern trash enclosures are made for NYC’s multi-stream waste system. Our customers often set up our enclosures with one module for trash, one for recycling, and one for composting, offering a neat and clean way to comply with city rules without sacrificing curb appeal.

More than just stylish, our enclosures are:

• Rat-proof, thanks to thanks to our marine-grade bent aluminum shell.
• Weatherproof and rust-proof.
• Modular and scalable, so you can configure the right number and size of bins for your building or home.
• Loved by our customers.  Just check out our reviews!

Let’s be honest, storing food waste outside may sound tricky, but with CITIBIN enclosures it won’t turn into a smorgasbord for rats. If you haven’t seen it yet, we conducted a Pizza Rat experiment to show how our bins hold up under their assault.

Why Composting Matters

Food waste is a massive problem. It makes up  roughly one third of New York City’s waste every year, and when organic materials end up in landfills they produce methane and carbon dioxide, both of which are climate-warming greenhouse gases. In the United States alone, 133 billion pounds of food goes into landfills each year.

Composting isn’t just the environmentally responsible thing to do, it’s now a civic duty that will benefit you and everyone in NYC. Once processed, the nutrient-rich compost goes back into communities and green spaces across the city. CITIBIN founder Liz Picarazzi understands how meaningful that impact can be:

Compost created from NYC food scraps and organic waste go back into our communities, like public parks and gardens. Tree pits love to be planted with compost and flowers!

By separating food scraps and yard waste from trash, we reduce the amount of waste going into landfills and help build a healthier city. It’s one of the simplest, most impactful changes we can make in our daily routine.

So, Where Does It All Go?

After DSNY collects your compost bin, the organic material is sent to a processing facility, like this one in Staten Island, where it breaks down over time into a usable compost. This compost is then distributed for landscaping, local communities, and parks projects.

What once would have been landfill-bound waste and pollution now becomes something that gives back, nourishing trees, gardens, and parks across the city. And with NYC now enforcing composting citywide, the impact of composting will only continue to grow.

Ready to separate your waste streams while helping to save the planet? We got you! If you’re unsure where to start, sign up to download CITIBIN’s new buyer’s guide. In our guide to everything trash bins, we cover everything from measuring your space to choosing the look or locks that work with your space. If you know exactly what you want, you can create a customized bundle. If you love the look of CITIBIN, call us at 347.549.4121 or email us at info@citibin.com to chat about creating your own customized trash bin setup.