Austin to require composting collection at all multifamily communities beginning Oct 2024

AUSTIN, Texas - Austin will require composting collection at all multifamily communities beginning in October 2024, this after the Austin City Council unanimously approved the amendment to the Universal Recycling Ordinance at its meeting Thursday.

Multifamily properties with five or more dwelling units, including apartments, condos, dorms, assisted living facilities and nursing homes, will be required to provide tenants and employees convenient access to commercial composting services, including one gallon of composting capacity per unit.

Properties will need to accept certain materials for composting, including food scraps, food-soiled paper and BPI-certified compostable products.

The new composting rules will go into effect Oct. 1, 2024, giving properties one year to comply.

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A 2015 Community Diversion Study found that 85 percent of material generated in Austin came from the commercial and multifamily sector, and that 37 percent of that was compostable.

"More than half of Austinites live in multifamily communities, but most don't have access to composting collection services," said Richard McHale, director of Austin Resource Recovery. "Keeping food scraps and other organic material out of the landfill is important to make the most out of the planet's finite resources and to help Austin reach its zero waste goal."

Up to $3,000 in rebates are available to eligible properties to start or expand composting services before the requirement goes into effect.

Property owners and managers can visit here to learn more about the new rules.