Commercial Waste Disposal Unit

If you are a merchant or own a commercial establishment, you must either arrange with a private carter to have your garbage and recyclables collected or register as a self-hauler with the Business Integrity Commission. You must place commercial trash out for private collection on the sidewalk against the building, not at the curb or in the gutter.

If you are a business operating in a residential building, you may qualify for the Professional Fee Program, in which the Department of Sanitation will collect your garbage and recycling for a fee. Fees for this service are charged based on the amount of waste.

Commercial Organics Rules

Beginning July 19, 2016, certain New York City businesses will be required to separate their organic waste. Your business must follow the new rules if it is a:

• Food service establishment in a hotel with 150 or more rooms
• Food service vendor in an arena or stadiums with seating capacity of at least 15, 000 people
• Food manufacturer with a floor area of at least 25, 000 square feet
• Food wholesaler with a floor area of at least 20, 000 square feet

You can arrange for collection by a private carter, transport organic waste yourself, or process the material on site.

If you choose to process the material on site, you must register with the Department of Sanitation within 30 days of installing on-site processing equipment.

Commercial Recycling Rules

If you are a business, you are required to recycle certain materials and make sure, to the best of your ability that the items are properly handled by your private carter.