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AGENCY TESTIMONY
Commercial waste zones implementation update
0:19:16
ยท
127 sec
Commissioner Lojan provides an update on the implementation of the commercial waste zones program.
- The program aims to reform commercial waste hauling by establishing new safety standards, improving service, increasing diversion rates, and reducing vehicle miles traveled
- When fully implemented, the program is expected to reduce commercial carting vehicle miles by about 12 million
- Businesses will pay less for recyclables and compostable material collection than for trash
- The first of 20 non-exclusive commercial waste zones launched in Corona, Elmhurst, and Jackson Heights in January
- No complaints have been received from the 11,000 businesses in the first zone
- DSNY is actively enforcing both administrative and safety requirements in the zone
Javier Lojan
0:19:16
Now that we've mentioned commercial waste zones, I'll provide a fuller update on that program and our implementation of local law one ninety nine of 02/2019.
0:19:25
This law was designated to reform the commercial waste hauling system by establishing new safety standards for workers in the commercial carton industry, improving service for businesses, increasing diversion rates, and reducing vehicle miles traveled as well as harmful emissions from waste hauling vehicles.
0:19:41
When fully implemented, we are looking at about 12,000,000 miles fewer traveled by commercial carton vehicles.
0:19:47
And making good on a promise from when this program was created, businesses will pay less for the collection of recyclables and compostable material than they do for trash at a citywide average of 32% less for recycling and 18% for compostable material.
0:20:02
That means businesses will have a meaningful meaningful financial incentive to separate their waste properly.
0:20:08
In January, after years of planning and months of outreach, the first of New York City's Twenty nonexclusive commercial waste zones came online in Corona, Elmhurst, and Jackson Heights.
0:20:17
In the past, advocates had called for DSNY to launch the entire city at once.
0:20:22
Having let the rollout of this first zone, I can tell you I'm incredibly thankful we did not do that.
0:20:27
This has been a successful launch.
0:20:29
Incredibly, not a single one of the 11,000 businesses in the zone has made a complaint to DSNY of any issues with service or billing, but our Bureau of Commercial Waste learned tremendous amount during this first of its kind implementation that will be useful for future zones.
0:20:45
We are completing a data analysis that will allow for the start of the next zone or zones later this year, with more details to come at upcoming oversight hearing on this topic.
0:20:54
That said, are actively enforcing Queen Central on both administrative and safety requirements.
0:20:59
We are routinely writing safety violations and we are seeing very strong compliance likely due at least part in part to the significant fine escalators built into the commercial waste program.
0:21:10
With a total of about 200 violations written since the implementation of the zone began in September.
0:21:16
The expansion of the s and y quality of life enforcement under the current current administration is not restricted to Queen Central Commercial Waste Zone.