Composting will soon be required in multifamily communities

Starting Oct. 1, the city will require all multifamily communities to provide residents with commercial composting collection. The requirement applies to communities with five or more dwelling units: apartments, condos, non-state dorms and assisted living facilities. The properties, which are home to more than half of the city, will need to provide 1 gallon of composting capacity per unit, with weekly collection. According to the city’s Universal Recycling Ordinance, the composting programs must accept food scraps, food soiled paper and certified compostable products. According to a press release about the new rules, Austin Resource Recovery has notified properties about the changes and continues to offer a rebate to help implement it. According to a press release from the city, “Multifamily properties need to actively work this year toward complying with the new requirements. If needed, properties can request a waiver when they submit their required recycling plan between Oct. 1 and Feb. 1. Waivers are being reviewed on a case-by-case basis and may be approved for properties that show a good faith effort to comply.” More information about the new requirements can be found here.