Statewide law
New York organic waste law
New York's Food Donation & Food Scraps Recycling Law covers large food waste generators outside New York City, and the threshold is tightening: 2 tons/wk within 25 mi today, 1 ton/wk within 50 mi from Jan 1, 2027, and 0.5 ton/wk from Jan 1, 2029. Hospitals, nursing homes and K-12 schools are excluded. New York City has its own rules.
At a glance Statewide law
Read the official rules (opens in a new tab)
- The law
- Food Donation & Food Scraps Recycling Law, ECL §§ 27-2201 to 27-2219
- Who’s covered
- Large generators outside NYC; excludes hospitals, nursing homes, K-12
- Thresholds and key dates
- 2 tons/wk within 25 mi → 1 ton/wk within 50 mi Jan 1, 2027 → 0.5 ton/wk Jan 1, 2029
- Local rules
- NYC Local Law 146 (commercial), Local Law 85 of 2023 (mandatory residential), Local Law 118 of 2026 (commercial expansion)
01 / City and county rules
Local rules
-
New York City
In effect- Who’s covered
- All residential buildings · Large food service, chains, hotels 100+ rooms, grocers 10k+ sq ft, venues; LL118 lets DSNY expand to all food businesses
- Apartment buildings must provide compost
- Yes · No
- Key dates
- Mandatory since Oct 2024; fines from Apr 1, 2025 · LL118 law July 30, 2026; DSNY capacity finding due Dec 1, 2026
✦ Keep an eye on
What’s changing
~2,000 new generators in 2027 and ~2,000 more in 2029 (BioCycle est.)
- Dec 1, 2026Capacity determination for commercial expansion under LL118
- Jan 1, 2027Threshold drops to 1 ton/wk within 50 mi
02 / Our job
What Melly’s handles
- Which rules apply to each of your New York locations
- File the paperwork for you
- Set up pickup or a compliant hauler
- Keep your records current so you are ready if an inspector asks
✦ Where this comes from
Sources
Last checked October 14, 2026. Laws change. If something here looks out of date, tell us.
These are plain-English summaries for general information, not legal advice. Always confirm with the official source.
✦ Get a compliance plan
Get a plan for New York
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✦ Let Melly’s handle it
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Tell us where you operate. We tell you what applies, then we file and keep you compliant.