Q&A
Distribution and usage of brown bins for organic waste collection
0:33:40
·
4 min
Council Member Abreu and DSNY officials discuss the distribution of brown bins for organic waste collection, addressing concerns about delivery timelines and potential issues with landlord compliance.
- Brown bin deliveries are underway, with upwards of 1,000 being delivered each day
- Bins ordered in August will be delivered by October 6th
- DSNY will deliver bins even if ordered by non-owner residents
- The agency encourages residents to report non-compliant landlords and offers assistance in such cases
Shaun Abreu
0:33:40
I would like to recognize counsel Omar Kharr join us.
0:33:44
As we've discussed, brown bins will be used to containerize New York residents, organic waste.
0:33:51
On approximately what date can Yorkers expect to receive their brown bins?
Joshua Goodman
0:33:56
Deliveries are underway now, and I believe upwards of a 1000 are being delivered each day.
0:34:01
Kate, do you wanna say a little more about that?
Katie Kitchener
0:34:03
Sure.
0:34:04
So anyone who ordered I
Shaun Abreu
0:34:05
got mine, by the way.
Katie Kitchener
0:34:06
Oh, you did.
0:34:07
Great.
0:34:07
Mhmm.
0:34:07
Awesome.
0:34:08
Anyone who ordered a bin in the month of August will re receive it prior to service on October 6th, and then the deliveries that requested in September will be rolling after that.
Shaun Abreu
0:34:19
What happens if a building resident who is not an owner All orders of brown bins to be delivered to and used at a building with many other tenants.
0:34:28
Will the S and Y still deliver the bin?
0:34:30
Yes.
0:34:31
Yes.
0:34:33
What should a building tenant do if their landlord in some way or form refuses to allow the tenant to comply with organic recycling mandates.
Joshua Goodman
0:34:40
They should continue to insist to them that it is the law, first of all.
0:34:48
They are also always welcome to reach out to us by our customer service team through 311 on some social media through the contact form on our website.
0:34:58
If we are we did, in fact, in Brooklyn and Queens, receive social media complaints from people who said, you know, I live in a forty story high rise and my building's not participating.
0:35:09
A member of our staff went and said, gee, it sure seems like you could use an Info Session.
0:35:13
How can we help?
0:35:13
What can we do to help you comply with this law?
0:35:15
So we would encourage people when they feel frustrated and exhausted with working with their building management directly to reach out to us, and we'll do what we can.
Shaun Abreu
0:35:23
Is there can I make it through a one complaint on behalf of them?
Joshua Goodman
0:35:27
They can do it through a comment to the department of sanitation.
0:35:29
There is not a dedicated SR for this topic at this time.
0:35:32
Okay.
Shaun Abreu
0:35:33
And with those is there will the agency consider maybe, like, doing a portal or something?
Joshua Goodman
0:35:38
Or I'm certainly consider it, of course.
Shaun Abreu
0:35:40
Because I mean I mean, I'm gonna expect the widespread noncompliance.
0:35:44
I mean, it was especially when something new comes on.
0:35:46
Right?
0:35:47
In the beginning, though, the warnings, you know, I'm sure make make a big difference.
0:35:50
But at some point, I wanna make sure that we're having strong compliance and that our tenants and residents who are subject to bad actors Right.
0:36:01
That they can voice their concerns on you know, their bins were stolen or the the landlords refusing to comply with with the mandate and the those type of type of things.
0:36:20
For October 6, is that for all bins or just the brown bins?
Joshua Goodman
0:36:26
That's for the brown bins that were ordered prior to September 1st will be delivered by October 6th.
0:36:32
If you want the schedule on the wheelie bins, anybody who orders actually are still within the window now.
0:36:38
Anybody who orders by October 1st is guaranteed to get them by the November 12th mandate date.
Shaun Abreu
0:36:44
Thank you.
0:36:46
After DSNY receives a complaint that a building owner is not allowing a resident to comply with organics recycling mandates, how does the agency respond?
Joshua Goodman
0:36:55
Well, it depends on the nature the exact nature of
Shaun Abreu
0:36:57
the company.
0:36:57
And they reach out to the owner.
0:36:58
My apologies.
Joshua Goodman
0:36:59
It depends on the exact nature of the complaint, but we do have a few options.
0:37:02
1 would be to go and observe collection or or rather to observe set out prior to collection and to issue a warning if we agree that the building is noncompliance.
0:37:11
If it's a larger managed building, we may proactively reach out to management and offer to a system.
0:37:18
We do conduct site visits.
0:37:20
We have a team dedicated to helping buildings with their waste set out.
0:37:24
We offer a we call our clean buildings training, which is regular training program for building management about how to comply with sanitation regulations that includes a substantial module about the source separation of compostable material.
0:37:36
So we would because I would say that it's a case by case, but that we would always try to begin with a positive direct contact and move into an enforcement mode if
Shaun Abreu
0:37:47
necessary.
