PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Christine Datz-Romero, Executive Director of Lower East Side Ecology Center, on Community Composting and Intro 698
2:26:15
·
130 sec
Christine Datz-Romero, Executive Director of the Lower East Side Ecology Center, testifies in support of Intro 698, which clarifies the definition of organic waste drop-off sites. She emphasizes the importance of community-based composting and argues against the replacement of traditional drop-off sites with smart bins.
- Datz-Romero expresses shock at Commissioner Tisch's opposition to the bill, clarifying that it doesn't aim to remove smart bins but rather reaffirms commitment to community composting.
- She highlights her organization's 30-year history of operating a food waste drop-off site at Union Square, emphasizing its role in local composting.
- Datz-Romero argues that smart bins are not a suitable substitute for community-based drop-off sites, which are crucial for collecting food scraps and producing compost locally.
Christine Datz-Romero
2:26:15
Great.
2:26:15
Thank you.
2:26:17
Good afternoon, and, my name is Christina Dutz Romero, cofounder and executive director of the Lower East Side Ecology Center and also a member of the Save Our Campus Coalition.
2:26:29
And, unsurprisingly, today, I'm gonna talk about compost.
2:26:34
So it's a change of pace, but, it was very interesting to hear the discussion about containerization.
2:26:41
I'm here in support of intro 698, which clarifies basically the definition of organic waste drop off sites.
2:26:50
This is an historic, bill.
2:26:54
It was local law 89 that established that DSNY, establish and operate no less than 30 organic drop off waste, sites citywide, and a minimum of 3 sites in every, borough.
2:27:10
I was really shocked how commissioner Tisch, Tisch's opposition to this law, was framed because, she basically said in so many words that, we would be taking out smart bins.
2:27:26
There are over 300 smart smart bins in the city, and this is not aiming this bill doesn't aim, to take out smart bins.
2:27:35
It rather really, re reaffirms a commitment to community based composting.
2:27:41
My organization started a drop off 30 years ago at Union Square where we collect organic, food waste or food waste from from people.
2:27:51
And it's part of a corner stone of the community, composting movement here in the city.
2:27:56
And it is important that, we make this distinction because, drop offs like those are not a smart bin is not a substitute for drop offs like those.
2:28:08
And we would like to continue them, because it really is part of our system of collecting well, I didn't get very far of collecting food scraps, and then turning them into compost on a local level.
2:28:25
Thank you.
