ZERO WASTE
New York City’s Universal Residential Composting
“Access to clean, convenient, curbside compost pickup”
The Policy
In 2022, New York City Council Member Shahana Hanif introduced Intro-244A, a bill to establish a mandatory citywide residential composting program. The legislation expands upon the city's existing pilot composting program, which initially served just 14 community boards, and mandates participation in all five boroughs over a two-year phased rollout period. The program targets organic compostable waste, which accounts for up to 4,000 tons daily and about one-third of New York City's residential trash. This waste is often sent to landfills or incinerators in low-income communities of color, worsening greenhouse gas emissions and communities’ health. By mandating a residential composting option, the policy aims to help reduce the amount of waste sent to these communities and mitigate environmental and health impacts.
The bill required the New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) to conduct multilingual outreach to educate residents about the program and provide brown compost bins for collection. For the first two years after the bill's passage, residents could opt into the program by requesting a bin, with mandatory participation and fines for non-compliance starting after the two-year introductory period. The bill also aligned with the City's broader “Zero Waste Package,” which includes other initiatives to promote sustainable waste management practices.
The Strategy: How Did New Yorkers Win This Policy?
Council Member Hanif built a strong coalition to support the bill, engaging environmental justice groups, labor unions, and local organizations. Key supporters included WE ACT for Environmental Justice, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Teamsters Local 813, and community-based groups like BK Rot and the Lower East Side Ecology Center. The coalition’s comprehensive outreach, combined with social media campaigns and public advocacy, helped secure a veto-proof majority of cosponsors. The bill was also featured prominently in the Council’s “Zero Waste Package,” gaining additional support from the Council’s Progressive Caucus and other allies.
To raise awareness and support, Hanif and her team engaged in continuous public advocacy, including continued rallies with allied community groups and elected officials as well as consistent press engagement. The Council Member also co-authored an op-ed with environmental activist Ibrahim Abdul-Matin to provide a religious angle to the importance of this bill. This sustained messaging campaign tied the bill to existing efforts to expand community composting, connected it to larger goals to achieve zero waste, and brought in conversations around faith to the discussion of environmental goals.
The Law’s Impact
The passage of Intro-244A in 2023 established New York City as a leader in sustainable waste management with the largest residential composting program in the U.S. Since its implementation, participation has surged in underserved communities such as Bushwick, Harlem, and Staten Island's North Shore. The expanded composting program in Queens alone diverted over 200 million pounds of compostable material from landfills, demonstrating the potential for substantial waste reduction citywide.
The program is expected to improve air quality and public health by reducing methane emissions from landfills and shrinking the rat population attracted to exposed food waste. Borough leaders, like Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, have highlighted the program's success in improving local environments and public health. Similarly, Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine noted that new composting initiatives have led to "cleaner streets, a more sustainable borough, and reduced waste sent to landfills."
Overall, the program supports New York City’s ambitious goal of achieving zero waste by 2030, proving that innovative and inclusive waste management policies can drive meaningful change in urban sustainability, public health, and environmental justice.
Messaging Guidance: Words That Work
To replicate New York City's successful composting program, advocates should focus on messaging that centers around environmental justice, public health, sustainability, and community participation. Highlight the benefits of reducing waste in low-income communities of color and the associated improvements in air quality and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Emphasize the importance of community engagement, multilingual outreach, and the integration of composting with other waste management initiatives to maximize program participation and impact.
Campaigns in New York City have found success by integrating composting education into school programs, where students are trained to manage waste sorting, turning them into “Cafeteria Rangers" in their school's sustainability efforts. This strategy fosters early engagement and builds a culture of environmental responsibility. Additionally, effective campaigns use clear, accessible, and multilingual educational materials, including simple signage and instructional videos, to ensure residents understand what materials are compostable and how to participate.
Lastly, leverage local success stories and testimonials to personalize the impact of composting, showing how it benefits individuals, families, and the community. Highlighting the voices of community leaders and residents who have successfully adopted composting can build trust and encourage others to participate. By framing composting as a simple, everyday action that contributes to broader environmental goals, campaigns can build a sense of shared purpose and responsibility.
The Progressive Caucus Action Fund thanks Local Progress for their comments and insights.
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