Composting food waste keeps it out of landfills, promotes healthier soil, and reduces greenhouse gases. New York passed the state's Food Donation and Food Scraps Recovery law in 2019 in an effort to lower landfill methane emissions. The law went into effect fully in 2022. Now, in an effort to make more sweeping reforms, New York plans to expand the law by lowering the threshold for mandatory edible food recovery and organics recycling.
Changes to New York’s Organics Recycling Mandate
Currently, businesses and institutions that generate an average of two tons of food waste per week have to donate leftover edible food and recycle any remaining scraps if they’re located within 25 miles of an organics recycler. Under the new law, the following changes will take effect:
- Lower waste threshold: Effective January 2026, the mandate will apply to organizations that produce one ton of waste weekly. In January 2028, the threshold will be reduced further to half a ton per week.
- No distance exemption: The current law only applies to organizations that are located within 25 miles of a recycler. The new regulation will remove this exemption. All entities that generate waste over the threshold amount will have to participate regardless of location.
Lawmakers hope these changes will reduce methane emissions from landfills by capturing more food waste for recycling and donation. Though the current law has achieved some gains, removing the distance exemption and lowering the thresholds are expected to significantly increase participation. This move is part of a broader effort to address climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving waste management infrastructure.
Impact on Businesses
The expanded organics recycling and food recovery mandate will drastically increase the number of businesses that must comply with the law. Currently, around 1,200 organizations are subject to the existing law, but only 37% meet the distance requirement for recycling.
According to Earthjustice, the new law will broaden this scope and eventually apply to 99% of large organizations outside New York City. Organizations that don’t comply can face fines and other enforcement actions.
Challenges of Compliance
Despite the ultimate good that will come from increasing recovery and recycling efforts, businesses face some obstacles in complying with the expanded legislation. One of the primary hurdles is the need for adequate infrastructure. Many businesses don’t have the facilities to separate, store, and transport organic waste efficiently. They’ll need to invest in new equipment and modify their existing waste disposal operations.
These investments won’t be cheap. In addition to equipment, they’ll need to allocate funds for additional staff training, purchasing or leasing specialized containers, and arranging for more frequent waste pickups. The added expenses will be particularly burdensome for smaller businesses.
Removing the distance exemption also presents logistical challenges. Businesses that aren’t near composting or anaerobic digestion facilities will have to coordinate collecting and transporting organic waste to recycling facilities, which can be expensive and time-consuming.
To overcome these obstacles and support environmental goals, businesses will need to find reliable and efficient recycling solutions. The two primary options include partnering with specialized waste management companies that can handle organic waste or investing in on-site composting systems.
EcoRich’s Solutions
EcoRich designs on-site composting solutions that are affordable and easy to manage for businesses of all sizes. We have anaerobic and aerobic composting systems for stress-free sustainable waste management and cost-effective compliance with New York's expanded Food Donation and Food Scraps Recovery law.
Aerobic Digestion Solutions
Our aerobic composters use heat-tolerant microbes, fresh air, and heat to break down food waste. These microbes thrive on heat and oxygen and can reduce the volume of food waste by 90% in one 24-hour cycle. You only have to empty the system every three to seven days, so you won’t have to dedicate a lot of labor to complying with the new law.
Our in-vessel aerobic composters are available in models that can process from 20 pounds to 4,000 pounds daily. We also offer add-on options for automatic loading, crushing, and programmed removal.
If you have more time and want an even more low-energy option, we also offer an aerobic composter that can reduce your waste volume by 60% in 14 days. These composters do require you to add brown material daily, such as sawdust, wood chips, or dry leaves. This option is great for businesses that want a lower-cost option and have more time to devote to maintaining the system. Both options provide nutrient-rich compost you can use to improve your soil or as an additional income stream.
Anaerobic Digestion Solutions
Although methane poses a serious environmental threat when it’s uncontrolled in landfills, it can be turned into a valuable energy source through anaerobic digestion. Our anaerobic digestion solutions break down organic material in the absence of oxygen. This process produces methane, but instead of collecting in the atmosphere and contributing to climate change, it’s harnessed as an energy source for your business. Another byproduct of the anaerobic process is a nitrogen-rich liquid you can use to fertilize crops.
Anaerobic digestors are more complicated to maintain and require more of an up-front investment. However, they can help you meet your sustainability goals and lower your energy costs. We offer compact systems that can process between 110 to 2,205 pounds of waste daily, as well as larger modular systems that can handle up to 30 tons of waste daily.
All of our systems are pest and odor-free, so using them isn’t an unpleasant chore. The machines are easy to use and don’t require any prior knowledge. You can train your staff on how to use them in as little as 30 minutes.
Simplify Compliance With EcoRich
Choosing an on-site waste management solution such as EcoRich eliminates the need to transport food waste for recycling — an extra expense that adds to carbon emissions. We can work with you to plan and implement a solution that fits your needs and supports a sustainable future by returning food waste to the soil or converting it to energy. Reach out today for more information and support.
