Several weeks ago, I came home to find ominous-looking notices pasted to every apartment door. Had someone in the building committed a grievous wrong? Was management furious? Was there construction coming? But as I climbed the stairs, I saw it wasn’t just the neighbors — I had one too.
COMPOST IS NOW MANDATORY IN NYC, it read — or else.
Or else what? I wondered. Apparently: a $300 fine.
It could be less — just $25 to start, if you live in a building with fewer than eight units. But in Manhattan, that’s slim pickings, and repeat offenses can rack up steep fees fast. So, being Type A and naturally inclined to do things as well as possible (especially once told I have to), I decided — paper still in hand — that I was going to separate food and yard (ha!) waste like no one’s business.
I put off my actual shopping work that evening and instead fell down a rabbit hole of decidedly less fun retail: compost bins. Candidly, this kitchen idea wasn’t on my dance card. Of course, it should’ve been — for environmental and, well, rodent-related reasons. But here's what I found.
Available in Stainless Steel, Matte Black, or White, Simplehuman’s compost caddy docks magnetically to the side of your existing kitchen trash can — or detaches easily for countertop duty during food prep. Its soft-seal lid paradoxically lets scraps breathe — just enough to neutralize odor and keep fruit flies at bay — while the removable inner bucket makes clean-up seamless. Unsurprisingly, it’s earned a solid 4.5/5-star rating on Amazon.
My compulsory spending habits had been aimed at something more thrilling — a new pair of shoes, perhaps. And yet, here we are, united in this deeply unsexy shopping experience together.
Eventually, I landed on a compost caddy by Simplehuman (available at Amazon) — lovingly regarded as the premiere purveyor of “fancy trash cans.” Their minimalist home goods tend to be sleek, clever, and... not cheap (though you can occasionally spot a discount on Amazon or Walmart). So I was pleasantly surprised to find this particular model — being fairly petite — priced at a refreshingly reasonable $50.
You can mount it to the wall, which is ideal for freeing up floor space. But more cleverly, you can attach it directly to the side of an existing trash can — keeping your trash-recycling-compost zone tight, streamlined, and centralized. (Eco-friendly and... elegant?)
And if you’re reading this from somewhere outside of NYC and thinking: not my problem — it will be. San Francisco has been at it since 1996. LA joined in 2022. And now, with New York onboard, the rest of the country won’t be far behind. You might as well get in the habit now. As stylishly as possible, of course.
More Compost Cans
A few other compost bins currently on my radar — each considerably chicer than a $300 ticket for trash misconduct.
Joseph Joseph's compost bin might be the slimmest I’ve come across — and it’s mountable. This minimalist kitchen accessory is so inoffesnive, you barely clock it, which, for many of us, is precisely the point. With a 4.8/5 star rating on Wayfair and a discreet silhouette, it’s not reinventing the wheel — and it doesn’t need to.
If you’ve got counter space to spare (and if you live in NYC — I’m envious), there's a bit more aeshtetic leeway. This mid-century style compost bin, for instance, actually contributes to the look of your kitchen: off-white stainless steel, a sculptural top, and a wooden handle for contrast. It could almost pass for a sugar bowl — something you'd have on display anyway.
Making a compost caddy a countertop fixture might sound strange — until you see this one. In a retro green with fluted detailing, it feels intentional. Hundreds of glowing reviews back it up. You can flip or slide the lid depending on your preference, and while it mounts to the counter, it works on cabinets or walls, too. Like Simplehuman’s version, it has a removable inner bucket — but with a little more personality.
"Compost" — don't get it twisted. This generously sized one-gallon bin is clearly labeled (in a winking, hipster sort of way), which makes it ideal for households where new habits need a little visual encouragement. The oatmeal-toned shade feels retro, neutral, and blessedly easy on the eyes.
Stainless steel with a five-star rating and a completely inoffensive silhouette, this compost caddy is for those who want mostly function (without an aesthetic burden). A half-gallon capacity keeps things tidy, while the vented lid and carbon filter help maintain a kitchen-friendly, odor-free environment. It works, and it looks decent doing it.
For city dwellers, solo cooks, and kitchen minimalists, this compact compost pail is the one. Just a quart in size, it’s made for small-space living — or for anyone who doesn’t need a family-sized solution. The bamboo exterior and spa-like (?) shape make it feel more like a countertop accessory than a food waste bin, with a sturdy plastic liner inside for seamless removal.
The announcement couldn’t have landed at a more fitting time — Earth Month. A moment to reassess the habits we’ve let slide and embrace the ones we probably should’ve adopted ages ago.
