"Composting Mandate Spreading Across US Cities"

New York City has passed a sweeping bill that will require all 8.8 million residents to compost their food scraps, yard waste, and food-soiled paper starting in April 2025. The legislation is broader and more ambitious than the current voluntary curbside composting program being implemented by Mayor Eric Adams. However, there are concerns about the feasibility of composting all of the city's organic waste, which currently ends up in landfills that produce methane. The city will need to find more processing facilities for the 8 million pounds of organic waste generated daily. The bill also sets a goal of diverting all recyclables and organic waste away from New York City landfills by 2030.