New legislation caps years-long effort to create commercial waste zones, bringing environmental justice to industry and making it safer for cyclists, pedestrians, and workers
Mayor Bill de Blasio today signed legislation that will radically overhaul the City’s commercial waste program, bringing much needed reform to an industry known for dangerous, unhealthy and unsustainable conditions. Intro 1574-A, sponsored by Council Member Antonio Reynoso, will create a safe and efficient commercial waste collection system that will advance the City’s Green New Deal and zero waste goals while providing high-quality, low-cost service to New York City businesses.
The Mayor signed the Commercial Waste Zones legislation and several other pieces of legislation overseeing the Trade Waste Industry at an event at El Puente in Williamsburg.
“Today’s bill signing doesn’t just mark a new day for commercial waste hauling,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “It’s a new day for New York’s Green New Deal, showing that we can create good-paying jobs while drastically reducing pollution and emissions. It’s a new day for working people – many of whom are immigrants chasing the American dream – ending the race to the bottom that has led to low labor standards and poor wages. It’s a new day for safety on our streets, whether you’re on the truck or biking next to it. And it’s a new day for New York City. I’d like to thank Council Member Reynoso and the City Council for helping us get to this day.”
“Today has been years in the making and is a monumental shift that will transform an industry that touches the lives of all New Yorkers,” said Deputy Mayor Laura Anglin. “This bill will not only lead to better paying and safer jobs for those working in the commercial waste hauling industry, but will dramatically reduce truck traffic, improve the air quality, and make our streets safer.”
“This day has been years in the making. Commercial waste zones will fundamentally transform an industry that is critical to our city and do so while protecting workers’ rights, improving safety for the public, and taking on the climate crisis,” said Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia. “This program will cut truck traffic by more than 50 percent and encourage businesses to recycle and compost more. This groundbreaking legislation would not have been possible without the support of the Mayor, the work by the Council, and the tireless efforts by advocates.”
“Today’s landmark law is a big win for the environment and a real a game-changer for traffic safety and New York City’s efforts around Vision Zero,” said Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg. “This year alone, we have seen three pedestrians, three cyclists, and two motorcyclists struck and killed in crashes with reckless commercial-waste vehicles. By dramatically reducing the number of truck-miles traveled, this new law will undoubtedly save lives on our streets. I congratulate the Mayor as well as Commissioners Garcia and Genel for their steadfast leadership achieving this new law, with special thanks to Councilmember Reynoso and the entire Council for seeing the effort through.”
“BIC was created to root out corruption in the trade waste industry,” said Noah D. Genel, Commissioner and Chair of the Business Integrity Commission. “Intro 1573-A adds safety – and particularly traffic safety – to our mandate. Now, BIC will be empowered to more closely regulate safety in the trade waste industry on the City’s streets and to consider an applicant’s safety record in making licensing decisions. Trade waste companies must prioritize safety over speed. Slow down; drive defensively; share the road. Together with Intro 1574-A and working with the Department of Sanitation and our other City and community partners in this effort, we will continue to improve this industry.”
While the NYC Department of Sanitation (DSNY) collects trash and recycling from residents, more than 90 different private carters have crisscrossed the city each night for decades to service the city’s 100,000 commercial businesses, driving long, overlapping and unsafe routes. This system has created myriad issues for New Yorkers, whether creating public health hazards and a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, creating a race to the bottom of poor labor standards, or creating public safety risks for cyclists, pedestrians, and workers alike. Since 2010, 28 New Yorkers have been killed by private carters.
The Commercial Waste Zones program will dramatically improve safety and working conditions for workers in this industry. The law imposes training requirements for drivers, helpers and other commercial waste employees, and calls for the creation of a Safety Task Force jointly appointed by the Administration and Council to make recommendations on further steps to protect the safety of workers and the public. It also establishes a displaced worker list, promotes local hiring and includes protections for employees of certain companies undergoing merger or acquisition.
The law divides the city into 20 zones, each served by up to three carters selected through a competitive bidding process. Five carters citywide, will also be selected to collect containerized waste from dumpsters and compactors. Commercial waste zones will reduce truck traffic and mileage associated with commercial waste collection by more than 50 percent, while strengthening service standards and preserving customer choice.
The law also requires that selected haulers provide recycling and organics collection at a discount to incentivize waste diversion; promotes the use of low-emission or zero emission collection trucks; and incentivizes the use of transfer stations that use rail or barge transport or are located near the designated zones.
Following today’s bill signing the City will begin program implementation, starting with formally defining the geographical boundaries of the zones. Next year, DSNY will release a request for proposals from interested and qualified waste haulers, which will be evaluated on the basis of several factors outlined in the law. DSNY expects to begin a multi-year customer transition process in 2021.
At today’s ceremony, the Mayor also signed three additional bills to improve safety and oversight over the trade waste industry:
Intro 1573-A expands the Business Integrity Commission’s authority to establish environmental, safety and health standards for trade waste carters;
Intro 1083-A imposes fines on trade waste companies that fail to report employees to BIC including a minimum of $1,000 and maximum of $10,000 for each unreported individual; and
Intro 1082-A requires commercial waste collection trucks be equipped with global positioning systems (GPS) that can transmit data on location and speed.
"Today marks a sea change in how New York City deals with its commercial waste. Intro. No. 1574-A becoming law means that our air will be cleaner, our streets will be safer, and customer service to businesses throughout the city will be improved. The private carting industry has operated without proper safeguards concerning air quality and street safety for far too long and sprawling, inefficient collection routes have resulted in millions of excess truck miles driven every year. This law is a huge step forward in fixing this broken practice." said Council Speaker Corey Johnson
“Today's bill signing marks the beginning of a new era in the private carting industry,” said Council Member Antonio Reynoso, Chair of the Committee on Sanitation and Solid Waste Management. “Under a commercial waste zones system, vehicle miles traveled will be drastically reduced, companies will be required to provide training to workers, and haulers will be incentivized to make critical investments in modern recycling, composting, and transfer station infrastructure. The transformation of this industry will have life changing impacts for workers, community members, and our environment. I am grateful for Speaker Corey Johnson, my Council Colleagues, and the advocates who were instrumental in the passage of this bill and want to thank Mayor de Blasio and Commissioner Garcia for their dedication in implementing this vision."
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