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Q&A
Council Member Salamanca inquires about composting program and bin orders
2:03:08
·
3 min
Council Member Rafael Salamanca, Jr. engages in a Q&A session with Acting Commissioner Javier Lojan about the city's composting program. Salamanca seeks clarification on the program's status, enforcement of violations, and delays in bin deliveries. The commissioner provides details on the mandatory nature of composting, the focus on education and outreach, and addresses concerns about bin orders.
- Composting is confirmed to be mandatory, with a current focus on education and outreach rather than immediate violations
- The department is still issuing violations to persistent violators, especially buildings with more units, after multiple warnings
- There's a discussion about delays in bin deliveries, with the commissioner offering to look into Salamanca's specific order
Rafael Salamanca, Jr.
2:03:08
Thank you.
2:03:09
Good afternoon, commissioner.
2:03:11
I want to start off by just saying thank you for the openness and the working relationship that we have, being able to access you and your team and a response in a timely manner.
2:03:22
It's really appreciated.
2:03:24
And I want to thank you because just recently your team, which we just posted today, cleaned up some illegal dumping that occurred in the Huntsman community and I know that you saw it firsthand when you did the walk through with us.
2:03:36
I just have a very simple question, composting.
2:03:39
My neighbors are asking me, are we doing it or are we not doing it?
2:03:43
Can you please give me an answer?
2:04:42
Alright.
2:04:43
And I think there's a confusion, and my neighbors are asking because they saw in the press that the administration said that they were going to slow down on the violations for those that are not compliant.
2:04:54
So if there's no violations, you know, their, their perception is that it is Right.
2:05:00
It's not necessary to compost.
2:05:22
Yeah.
2:05:23
And then finally, you know, is there a back order when you order the bins online through the city, DSNY?
2:05:29
Because I ordered mine like a month ago, and I still haven't received it in the mail.
2:05:32
And I was just curious.
2:05:38
Because sanitation came out with new bins, right?
2:05:40
Like like medium sized bins.
2:05:41
I have a forty five one and I wanted to get a smaller one and I wanted to get another composting one and you know I did it online on on a stated date, two states ago.
2:05:50
And so I'm curious if if it's delayed for me, it must be delayed for everyone else who's ordered it.
2:06:11
Thank you.
2:06:11
And I wanna give a big shout out to your your chief Frank Lattera.
2:06:14
He is accessible, and he's helping me clean up the borough of The Bronx.
2:06:17
Alright?
2:06:17
Alright.
2:06:18
Thank you, mister chair.
Javier Lojan
2:03:45
Yeah.
2:03:45
Of course.
2:03:45
So it is mandatory.
2:03:47
We are doing it.
2:03:48
We have focused we have shifted our focus on outreach and education.
2:03:52
So one of the things that we want to do is to have any interactions with anybody that may be confused of exactly what's needed.
2:04:01
A lot of residents we find from our current outreach interactions, which was 3,200 recently interactions so far since we had the pause, that a lot of residents don't realize that you don't have to use a specific bin.
2:04:13
You can use any bin.
2:04:15
Obviously, the brown bin is ideal because it has a latching lid, but you can use any bin that's under 55 gallons or less that's tight fitting with a tight fitting lid.
2:04:23
Or if they have just leafy yard waste, they can use even a clear plastic bag.
2:04:27
So they don't need some people are saying, Oh, I need the paper bag, the lawn bags.
2:04:31
And that's not with this program, you can use even a clear plastic bag.
2:04:34
So those are one of the things that we're looking to do.
2:04:37
If there's any areas that you feel will benefit from additional outreach, we'd be glad to shift our focus there to those areas.
2:05:02
But we are still able to we still plan on issuing violations to any of the persistent violators.
2:05:09
Any buildings with dirty more units, we will visit them.
2:05:14
We're going to give them four opportunities to get it right.
2:05:16
So they'll get four warnings after the fourth warning.
2:05:19
If they're still not in line, then we will issue a violation.
2:05:33
Are you talking about the trash, the the composting?
2:05:54
Right.
2:05:54
So I I think with the trash bins, they there is some time that we that the concessionaire takes to deliver them, but with the compost bin, there's there is a slight delay, but we're happy to see your order and see what what the delay is because it shouldn't be that long.
UKNOWN
2:06:19
Councilmember Brewer.