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What is NYC AC § 24-518.1?

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This section defines terms related to food waste disposals and outlines the conditions under which such disposals may be installed in private and multiple dwellings. The installation must be approved by the Department of Buildings and comply with the administrative code. Applies to building owners of private and multiple dwellings.

General informational summary. Not legal advice for your situation. Consult an attorney before acting on any specific matter.

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§ 24-518.1 Food waste disposals.

AC § 24-518.1

a. The following terms, as used in this section, shall have the following meanings: 1. A "dwelling" is any building or structure or portion thereof which is occupied in whole or in part as the home, residence or sleeping place of one or more human beings.

2.A "private dwelling" is any building or structure designed and occupied for residential purposes by not more than two families. Private dwellings shall also be deemed to include a series of one-family or two-family dwelling units each of which faces or is accessible to a legal street or public thoroughfare, if each such dwelling unit is equipped as a separate dwelling unit with all essential services, and if each such unit is arranged so that it may be approved as a legal one-family or two-family dwelling.

3.A "multiple dwelling" is a dwelling which is either rented, leased, let or hired out, to be occupied, or is occupied, as the residence or home of three or more families living independently of each other. A multiple dwelling shall also include residential quarters for members of personnel of any hospital staff which are not located in any building used primarily for hospital use, but any building which was erected, altered or converted prior to July first, nineteen hundred fifty-five, to be occupied by such members or personnel or is so occupied on such date shall not be subject to the requirements of the housing maintenance code only so long as it continues to be so occupied if there are local laws applicable to such building and such building is in compliance with such local laws. A multiple dwelling does not include (i) a hospital, convent, monastery, asylum or public institution; or (ii) a fireproof building used wholly for commercial purposes except for not more than one janitor's apartment and not more than one penthouse occupied by not more than two families.

4.The term "putrescible solid waste" shall mean solid waste containing organic matter having the tendency to decompose with the formation of malodorous by-products. b. Food waste disposals for the discharge of putrescible food wastes from dwelling units may be installed in private dwellings and multiple dwellings, provided that: 1. all putrescible food wastes discharged to a sanitary sewer or to a combined storm and sanitary sewer are discharged in fluid form and at a reasonably uniform rate so as to prevent clogging or stoppage of the drain line, sanitary sewer or combined storm and sanitary sewer; 2. the installation of such food waste disposals is approved by the department of buildings and is in compliance with applicable provisions of the administrative code. (Am. L.L. 2023/067, 5/29/2023, eff. 6/28/2023) Editor's note: For related unconsolidated provisions, see Appendix A at L.L. 1995/074 and L.L. 1997/071.

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