NYC’s War on Restaurants Continues with Stricter Cooking Emissions Regulations

NEW YORK CITY – The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has proposed a regulation requiring restaurants using charbroilers to reduce their emissions by 75%. This rule targets establishments that cook over 875 pounds of meat weekly on charbroilers installed before May 6, 2016. Affected restaurants must install emissions control devices to curb pollutants or seek a hardship variance.

Industry estimates suggest that approximately 200 restaurants could be impacted by this regulation, facing significant expenses to upgrade their exhaust systems. The DEP justifies the proposal by citing data indicating that commercial charbroilers in the city emit about 4,000 tons of particulate matter annually.

The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene estimates that such emissions contribute to over 12% of premature deaths related to particulate matter each year. The DEP projects that implementing control technology could prevent nearly 350 premature deaths annually.

The proposal has elicited strong reactions from restaurant owners, who view it as governmental overreach. They express concerns about the financial burden of compliance and potential impacts on their cooking methods. The DEP plans to hold a public hearing on the matter on January 29, with the rule expected to take effect six months after finalization.

This initiative follows similar efforts to reduce emissions from wood and coal-fired ovens in pizzerias, reflecting the city’s broader strategy to address air pollution from commercial cooking sources.