Newport News has no standalone local composting ordinance. Residents may compost yard waste and food scraps at home without a permit, provided the pile does not create nuisance odors or attract pests. State law and Chapter 19 solid-waste rules govern yard-waste handling at curbside.
Newport News City Code Chapter 19 (Solid Waste, Litter and Recycling) addresses yard waste set-out rules but does not separately regulate backyard composting. Home composting is implicitly permitted under the state's Solid Waste Management Regulations (9VAC20-81), which exempt household waste composted at the site of generation from permit requirements, provided no open dump, public nuisance, or odor problem is created. Yard waste—leaves, grass clippings, small branches—may also be left curbside in transparent plastic bags for weekly city collection or bundled for bulk pickup, as an alternative to composting. Chapter 28 general nuisance provisions (§ 28-35) could apply if a compost pile attracts vermin or creates offensive odors.
No composting-specific fine. Nuisance violations under § 28-35 are Class 1 misdemeanors. Solid waste placement violations under Chapter 19 are Class 4 misdemeanors with fines up to $250.
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