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DSNY resumes composting enforcement; absence of bin alone not a summons
Summary
DSNY told Manhattan Community Board 2 that full issuance of composting violations has resumed and that inspectors must observe prohibited materials in trash to issue a summons; the agency said outreach resources and translated materials remain available to building managers.
At the Manhattan Community Board 2 meeting, Richard Day said that enforcement for mandatory composting has resumed citywide, with DSNY again issuing violations where inspectors observe compostable material in trash that should have been diverted. "Enforcement is back for all buildings," Day said, adding that "absence of a bin is not a violation by itself" and that inspectors must observe material in the wrong stream before issuing a summons.
Board members pressed DSNY on practical questions such as how supers and building staff are expected to monitor tenant behavior, how to avoid exposing workers to needles, and whether compost collection frequency might increase in summer months when odors and pests become a problem. Day compared compost enforcement to recycling enforcement: when prohibited items are observed in trash, that can prompt a warning or summons; DSNY staff offered outreach tools, translated materials and recorded videos to assist buildings with tenant education.
Day said DSNY will inform community boards about the restart and that fines and the structure of penalties remain available on the agency website. He acknowledged that some enforcement activity continued during the prior pause for larger buildings and that the recent change restores full issuance across building sizes. DSNY encouraged buildings needing help to request outreach events through the agency website.
