Reducing Environmental Risk

NYC Commercial Waste Zoning

by | Mar 12, 2019 | Firm News

2019 03 12 DSNY NYC Commercial Waste Zoning pixabay.jpg

New York City – the city that never sleeps! At least, that’s the case for the drivers working for the City’s 90 private carters, those who travel long, overlapping, and sometimes unsafe routes to service the City’s 100,000 commercial businesses. The commercial waste hauling trucks go more than 23.1 million miles in NYC each year – that is multiple trips to the moon and back! This is the main issue that Department of Sanitation (DSNY) is confronting with its Commercial Waste Zone Plan.

Many have recognized the inefficiencies in the industry and advocated for the City to move toward a “zoned” collection system. After two years of stakeholder meetings, DSNY revealed its plan to reform, reroute, and revitalize its commercial waste industry. Most recently, the DSNY released a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on February 22, 2019, which is a required step to determine the plan’s impact on the environment, if any.

According to Acting DSNY Commissioner, Steve Costas, “[c]ommercial waste zones will have clear benefits for New York City”. More specifically, the EIS has predicted three main benefits:

1. The plan will halve the annual miles travelled by private carting trucks;

2. Diverted recyclables and organics will increase from 25 percent to 44 percent of the total waste stream. This should create 165 additional jobs, which will help out workers who have been displaced by collection efficiencies; and

3. The carting industry’s total operations expenses will be reduced by $14 million, which will in turn cut costs for NYC businesses.

We see this as exciting progress for NYC’s citizens and businesses. As many have recognized, not only will the commercial waste collection industry become more efficient, but businesses will save on costs and the reduce their eco-footprint. For more information, click here to view the DSNY’s press release, and here to find the links to the Plan and EIS on the DSNY’s webpage.

There is still time to express your thoughts on the EIS.

DSNY has already hosted public hearings on the EIS on March 11, 2019 and March 14, 2019.

Additionally, the DSNY has accepted written comments through 5:00 pm on Monday, March 25, 2019.

 

Stay tuned for what happens next.

For more information about how this EIS may impact your business, call the attorneys of Periconi, LLC at (212) 213-5500.

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