C
hef George Duran, a Harlem resident and owner of a three-family brownstone, has been struggling with the city's mandatory composting program. His kitchen is set up for composting, but he's had issues with the Sanitation Department collecting his food scraps on time. The department has skipped his weekly pickup several times, and when he tried to chain his bin to the front gate, sanitation workers told him it was in the wrong spot.

    Duran's experience isn't unique - many residents are facing challenges with the program. Ashley Pelton, a resident of a fifth-floor walk-up on the Upper East Side, has to trek all the way to the basement to dispose of her compost pile. She grew up composting in Maine but finds it difficult in New York due to limited freezer space and the risk of fruit flies.

    Dominick Romeo, an activist super in Chelsea, advocates for regular trash pickup six days a week with three days for recycling and compost. His building's compost hasn't been picked up on several occasions, leaving him to bring back the "disgusting liquifying material" into his building, which attracts rodents.

    The Sanitation Department has faced criticism for its rollout of the program, including confusion over where to store food scraps and how to use the bins. Some residents have thrown cat waste in the compost bin, while others have struggled with latching the bins. The department has responded by providing educational materials and seminars, but some executives at management companies say more needs to be done.

    A Sanitation Department spokesman, Joshua Goodman, said that people don't need to peel stickers off their bananas or use special compostable bags. He also clarified that greasy pizza boxes can go in the compost bin if they're cleanish or cut up to fit. The department is distributing free kitchen containers at events and will begin issuing warnings for failure to separate in February, with fines starting April 1.

    Despite the challenges, Goodman emphasized that composting is not new waste and that the program was designed for ease of use. He encouraged residents not to overthink it and to take advantage of the creative solutions available.