Int. No. 130-A

By Council Members Brewer, Krishnan, Williams, Menin, Schulman, Won, Rivera, Louis, Nurse, Ayala, Salaam, Marte, Hanif, Ung, Hudson, Gennaro, Restler, Avilés, Cabán, Sanchez, Yeger, Banks, Zhuang, Abreu and Dinowitz

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to establishing composting facilities in parks

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

Section 1. Chapter 1 of title 18 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new section 18-165 to read as follows:

§ 18-165 Compost facilities in parks. a. Definitions. For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:

Compost facility. The term “compost facility” means a site at which the decomposition of organic material is managed.

Plant waste. The term “plant waste” means leaves, grass clippings, small woody and herbaceous material, and similar material.

b. The department shall establish compost facilities within parks for the composting of plant waste collected at parks within its jurisdiction pursuant to the following timetable:

1. On or before July 1, 2026, at least 1 compost facility within 2 parks in each borough, as determined by the commissioner;

2. On or before July 1, 2027, at least 1 compost facility within 3 parks in each borough, as determined by the commissioner; and

3. On or before July 1, 2028, at least 1 compost facility within 5 parks in each borough, as determined by the commissioner.

c. 1. The department shall use a compost facility in a park to compost plant waste collected from such park as well as other nearby parks within the department’s jurisdiction.

2. In addition, the department may elect to use organic material management procedures and sustainable practices for the management of plant waste generated at such park, including leaf-mowing grassy areas and leaving leaves in place in horticultural areas. Nothing in this paragraph shall affect the requirements of subdivision b of this section.

d. The department shall report annually on the operation of compost facilities established pursuant to this section. Such report shall include, at a minimum, the following information:

1. The total amount of plant waste managed at each compost facility;

2. The annual cost of operating each compost facility;

3. For each park where a compost facility has been established, a description of the disposal process for plant waste from such park that was in effect prior to the establishment of such facility; and

4. The number of staff members working at each compost facility.

§ 2. This local law takes effect immediately.

Session 13

KS

LS # 12786

11/04/24

Session 12

KS

LS # 12786

6/14/23 2:15PM