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Samantha McBride, Professor at Baruch College, on the Performance Analysis of Queens' Residential Curbside Organics Collection Program

2:13:12

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Dr. Samantha McBride presents her findings on the inadequate performance of Queens' residential curbside organics collection program.

Dr. McBride uses monthly tonnages, the 2017 waste characterization study, and U.S. census data for her analysis.
In 2023, only 4.3% of potential residential curbside organics are collected, with 95.7% ending in trash.
An estimated 300,000 tons of compostable organics are disposed of annually with Queens' refuse, totaling 600,000,000 pounds.
These disposed organics are directed to landfills and waste-to-energy incinerators in the Eastern United States.
The collection rate for compostable materials, known as the capture rate, is significantly low.

Samantha McBride

2:13:12

Good morning.

2:13:13

I am Doctor Samantha McBride, professor at Barooq College, and former DSNY analyst and manager.

2:13:20

It is with immense respect to committee chair Abreu and council members, 1st deputy commissioner, Lohan, and my former Diaz and my colleagues that I speak today.

2:13:29

I have conducted a performance analysis of the department's newly relaunched residential curbside organics collection program in the borough of Queens.

2:13:39

Using monthly tonnages on open data, the city's 2017 waste characterization study and US census data, I have analyzed performance using metrics that are standard to the waste management industry and used in municipalities across America.

2:13:57

My analysis found the following.

2:14:00

In 2023, only 4.3% of the residential curbside organics that could have been collected in greens for composting or anaerobic digestion were, in fact, collected.

2:14:14

The rest, 95.7% went out with the trash.

2:14:20

The 4.3 rate is called the capture rate.

2:14:24

In 2023, when all of Queen's had the simple universal program that was described earlier, an estimated 300,000 tons of compostable organics went out for disposal with Queen's refuse.

2:14:42

In pounds, that is £600,000,000.

2:14:45

These quantities move through Queen's transfer stations.

2:14:49

They ended in landfills and waste energy incinerators in Eastern United States.

2:14:55

For comparison, About 12,700 tons or £25,000,000 of residential herbicide organics were collected for composting or anaerobic digestion locally.

2:15:10

Furthermore, the capture rate the per household generation rate for

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Adjournment of Hearing