The New York City Department of Sanitation is again reminding certain food-related businesses that enforcement of the Commercial Organics Requirements is set to begin July 31, 2022, the end of a two-year warning period extended due to the CoViD-19 pandemic.

All covered businesses are required to separate, and recycle, staff-handled “organic” waste, which includes all food scraps, fruit and plant stems, meat, bones, dairy products, plant trimmings, and food-soiled paper and certified compostable products. Note that organic material does not refer to food labeled “organic,” but rather all food products whether conventionally or organically-grown.

“While we extended the grace period for a year at the height of the pandemic, City life is back and we must now enforce this important law that will help keep our neighborhoods cleaner and greener,” said Sanitation Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch. “We all have a part to play in protecting our planet, and this is one way businesses can contribute.”

To comply with the law, businesses can arrange for collection of their “organic” material by a private carter, or transport the waste themselves, or manage it on-site using in-vessel composting, subject to registration with Sanitation and compliance with the City’s sewer discharge regulations.

Businesses Covered Under 2020 Rule Include:

• Food Service Establishments (such as restaurants, delis, coffee shops) having 7,000 to 14,999 square feet;
• Chain Food Service Establishments of 2 to 99 NYC locations with combined floor area 8,000 square feet or more;
• Food…