Waste News: New York City

New York City continues to fall short of its waste reduction goals. NYLCV highlights a number of solutions to the problem.

Earlier this month, advocates, the NYC Department of Sanitation, and the City Council came to an agreement on a commercial waste zone plan that would lead to cleaner air, less pollution, safer streets, and move closer to the city’s zero waste and emission reduction goals.

We are releasing our NYC priorities as part of our 2019-2020 City Policy Agenda. We’re focusing on Combating Climate Change and Protecting People & Natural Resources.

As it works to transition to a mandatory citywide organics collection program, New York City can look to other cities for guidance. We have put together some information about organics collection in cities across North America.

Commercial waste collection in New York City may soon be reformed.

Every year, NYLCV reviews the NYC Mayor’s Executive Budget and sets budget priorities that help advance New York City’s sustainability agenda.

The new single-use bag law gives counties and cities the option to opt-in to a five-cent fee for paper bags, which would further reduce litter and solid waste pollution and substantially lower carbon emissions from producing paper bags. Some local governments in New York have already voted in favor of the fee, while others have either opposed it or are still deliberating.

Our NYC Program Director, Adriana Espinoza, testified at a City Council Committee on Environmental Protection oversight hearing on wastewater treatment plants and discussed how the City can improve these plants. Investing in the long term sustainability and resiliency of these plants is critical.