Q&A
Inquiry about businesses using on-street containers for high volumes of waste
0:26:44
·
162 sec
Council Member Abreu inquires about the possibility of businesses using on-street containers for high volumes of waste. Commissioner Tisch explains why this is not currently contemplated, citing challenges with commercial waste collection and the success of the wheelie bin model.
- Commercial waste collected by private companies, not DSNY
- Logistical challenges with on-street containers for businesses
- High compliance with wheelie bin mandate among businesses
Shaun Abreu
0:26:44
Thank you, commissioner.
0:26:45
So now I'm gonna ask my first set of questions before I pass it over to my cochair here, Julie Won.
0:26:53
First set of questions are gonna be on shared on street containers.
0:26:57
My first question is, did d s n y know if it will ever allow businesses which produce a high waste of a high volume of waste to use on street containers instead of smaller wheelie bins?
Jessica Tisch
0:27:09
That is currently not contemplated, and I'll explain the thinking.
0:27:15
Few things.
0:27:16
1st, commercial waste is collected not by the Department of Sanitation, but by a network of commercial carters, private companies.
0:27:27
And for the department to implement these large on street com containers, we have to completely overhaul our fleet.
0:27:35
We have to buy special trucks, automated side loading vehicles that can hoist the on street containers.
0:27:43
To my knowledge, the commercial carding industry is not yet prepared to, its fleet is not prepared to hoist on street containers.
0:27:56
That's the first thing.
0:27:57
But the second thing is due to the nature of commercial carding rules in New York City, you could have 2 businesses next door to each other that each have a different commercial corridor.
0:28:11
And that will be true even in the realm of commercial waste zones.
0:28:16
And individual businesses in New York City, like the vast, vast majority, do not fill do not produce enough waste to fill their own large 4 cubic yard on street container.
0:28:32
And because the, because you can have 2 businesses next door that don't have the same carter, they can't share the bins.
0:28:40
And for these reasons, we have determined that the wheelie bin is the appropriate solution for businesses in New York City at this time.
0:28:50
And I'll just also add that I've been very pleased with the compliance level that I've seen among businesses with this wheelie bin mandate that has been in effect now for about 9 months.
0:29:02
We, started each phase with a warning period.
0:29:06
And during that warning period when we were not issuing summonses, we saw compliance go through the roof.
0:29:12
We are doing enforcement for the small percentage of businesses that are not yet complying, but I think that the level of compliance that we have seen shows that the wheelie bin model is one that works for businesses in New York City.
