PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Samantha MacBride, Faculty Member at Baruch College
2:34:02
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127 sec
Samantha MacBride, a faculty member at Baruch College, provided testimony on organic waste policy in New York City. She expressed support for several introductions with caveats and urged the council to hold DSNY accountable for improving organics policy.
- Supported Intro 498 (collection from community gardens) with conditions on crediting, record-keeping, and local composting
- Endorsed Intro 698 (organic waste drop-off sites), emphasizing the importance of local composting and accurate reporting
- Backed Intro 781 (separating organic waste) while advocating for compostable bags over traditional plastic bags
- Criticized DSNY's current approach to organics collection, calling for more community-based solutions and improved engagement
Samantha MacBride
2:34:02
Good day.
2:34:03
My name is Samantha McBride.
2:34:04
I'm a faculty member at Baruch College, where I teach environmental policy and program evaluation.
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I recently hosted a conference on New York City organic waste policy at Baruch, bringing together diverse stakeholders, including 32 BJSEIU.
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And I serve as an adviser to Earth Matter, a grassroots compost organization on Governors Island.
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I don't represent any company, product, or consultancy.
2:34:30
I support intro 498 with caveats.
2:34:33
Community gardens must be credited for the organics they collect, with DSNY maintaining separate, accurate records.
2:34:40
DSNY must also ensure clean materials from these gardens are composted locally, not sent to co digestion with sewage solids, and provide services without restricting gardens' operations, land tenure, or freedom of speech.
2:34:56
I support intro 698.
2:34:59
Smart bins are useful but cannot replace the community and job development benefits of local composting drop off sites.
2:35:06
There is also a problem with how DSNY reports the quantity of organics coming in through smart bins.
2:35:13
We need to know how much smart bins are bringing in every month on every route, and there are simple methods to estimate this that DSNY can easily institute.
2:35:23
I also support intro 781 with caveats.
2:35:27
Compostable bags and liners reduce the yuck factor and encourage participation in organics collection.
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The city should encourage their use instead of traditional plastic bags, which contribute to microplastics in compost and soil.
2:35:41
In closing, I urge the council to hold DSNY accountable for improving organics policy.
2:35:48
The current top down approach with low participation and poor curbside capture rates cannot succeed alongside planned enforcement in 2025.
2:35:58
DSNY must prioritize local community based solutions, scale up neighborhood engagement, and rebuild trust to create a system that works for all New Yorkers.
2:36:08
Thank you.
