NYC Council meetings, chaptered and linked by time.
Created by Uzair Qadir
Inspired by Vikram Oberoi's City Meetings
New York City Council
Expanding the commercial citywide routing system for sidewalk cleanliness violations and technical amendments thereto, including to repeal and reenact subdivision c of section 16-118.1
Read summaries and jump into the video at the segment start.
Council staff opens the hearing of the Committee on Sanitation and Solid Waste Management, reminds attendees not to approach the dais and to silence electronic devices, and invites the Chair to begin.
Chair Justin Sanchez opens the hearing, apologizes for the delayed start, thanks attendees for their patience, and acknowledges council members present including Lewis, Zhuang, Carr, Thomas-Henry, and Maloney.
Sanchez summarizes the purpose of the hearing: six bills including Intro 75 (sidewalk cleanliness enforcement), Intro 353 (commercial waste zone working group), Intro 356 (community composters charging/selling), Intro 367 (commercial waste at city transfer stations), Intro 369 (organic waste composting facilities per borough), and Intro 911A (Staten Island CWZ awardees and implementation delay).
Council Member David Carr presents Intro 911A, arguing Staten Island had a functioning commercial carting market that did not need the CWZ program. He expresses concern about reduced consumer choice, local businesses being boxed out, and companies inflating value for sale before fulfilling awards. He urges a pause on CWZ implementation and expanding to six carters for Staten Island.
Sanchez recognizes Councilmember Vernikov on Zoom and Maloney in person, then turns to committee counsel to administer the oath to Commissioner Gregory Anderson, Assistant Commissioner Frank Marshall, and Director Jen McDonnell.
Anderson celebrates the Council's passage of Intro 31 (commercial organics expansion) and Intro 92 (ASP stickers), announces Brooklyn Community District 2 containerization signups, the publication of the draft EIS for containerization, and the start of customer signup for Midtown South and Staten Island commercial waste zones.
Anderson expresses strong support for Intro 75, explaining it fixes a historic limitation restricting enforcement to two one-hour windows. He emphasizes the goal is compliance, not revenue, and describes outreach and education efforts with SBS, BIDs, and chambers of commerce.
Anderson welcomes the working group concept in Intro 353 and says DSNY plans to advance it regardless. On Intro 356, he says current rules do not prohibit charging for organic waste drop-off or selling compost, and with prior city-funded restrictions no longer in effect, the bill is not necessary at this time.
Anderson states DSNY opposes Intro 367 as written but has committed conceptually to accepting commercial waste at marine and rail transfer stations in both the 2006 and 2026 solid waste management plans. He says the department plans to begin this process after full CWZ implementation by end of 2027.
Anderson opposes Intro 369's requirement for composting facilities in each borough with 180,000 wet ton capacity, citing regulatory, operational, and fiscal realities that make implementation impossible. He notes openness to conversations about expanding composting capacity.
Anderson opposes Intro 911A, saying it would undermine the CWZ program's core benefits of decreased truck traffic, improved safety, and consumer protections. He notes the Staten Island zone implementation started that morning and opposes disrupting the system mid-implementation.
Carr presses Anderson on whether expanding to six carters would undermine CWZ benefits, arguing new awardees would still meet program standards. Anderson counters that CWZ brings safety, recycling compliance, and service quality benefits, and that making exceptions creates a slippery slope.
Carr argues 21% of Staten Island businesses must find a new carter unnecessarily, and that the bill preserves consumer choice without diminishing CWZ standards. Anderson responds that 79% already use one of the three selected carters, the program was debated for years, and exceptions would invite 'what about me' demands from others.
Carr contends there is still time to pause and minimize unintended consequences for Staten Island, arguing the borough is unique. Anderson responds that the bill being heard on implementation day, after seven years of work and investment by carters, indicates it is too late for that conversation.
Sanchez asks about the process by which a third Staten Island awardee was bought out and whether it sets a precedent that buying a carter automatically yields a city contract. Anderson explains the due diligence process, noting pricing and contractual requirements remain unchanged after acquisitions.
Sanchez presses whether DSNY would be open to amending the process so that if a carter cannot fulfill its promises, the RFP is reopened for bidding. Anderson explains that where open slots exist, DSNY does issue new RFPs, and describes the Staten Island situation where the subcontractor became the prime after acquisition.
Council Member Maloney asks whether DSNY has data on demand for composting facilities in each borough. Anderson explains the size requirement is impractical, noting the Staten Island facility processes 40,000 wet tons and the bill requires nearly five times that in each borough, which is not feasible in Manhattan or most boroughs.
Carr argues the law does not leave DSNY with sufficient options, expressing concern that the current structure incentivizes buyouts to game the system. He asks whether DSNY retains discretion to require a new RFP even after BIC approves an acquisition. Anderson confirms DSNY retains discretion but must have a rational basis.
Sanchez asks about the distance organic waste travels before anaerobic digestion and the transfer steps involved. Deputy Commissioner Jen McDonald describes the network of eight contracts and transfer stations, explaining how food and yard waste are separated and sent to compost facilities or digesters.
Sanchez asks whether DSNY has received requests from carters to use marine or rail transfer stations. Anderson says no direct requests but some carters indicated interest during the RFP process, particularly for Upper Manhattan zones. Sanchez also confirms there is only one city-owned rail transfer station, on Staten Island.
Sanchez asks how enforcement resource needs would change under Intro 75. Anderson says needs would not change but resources would be used more effectively, giving the example of businesses like bars that are not open during the current enforcement windows.
Sanchez dismisses DSNY, opens the hearing for public testimony, and reminds attendees of decorum rules including no singing on Zoom, two-minute speaking limits, and procedures for submitting written testimony.
Josh Raff of Action Environmental Services supports Intros 75, 356, 367, and 369, strongly supports Intro 353's working group as a productive stakeholder forum, and staunchly opposes Intro 911A, saying it undermines Local Law 199 and would set a harmful precedent by disrupting the Staten Island zone before launch.
Joyce Bialik of the Manhattan Solid Waste Advisory Board and WE Act for Environmental Justice proposes linking city composting support to healthy food access, suggesting the city map existing farms and gardens, subsidize new growing and composting facilities in underserved areas, and ensure contamination-free compost for nutritious produce.
Justin Wood of New York Lawyers for the Public Interest strongly supports Intro 367 as an environmental justice priority and Intro 369 for local composting capacity. He opposes Intro 911A, warning it would disrupt CWZ benefits and potentially invite litigation from awarded haulers.
Eric Goldstein of the Natural Resources Defense Council calls compost processing capacity the most important issue before the committee, strongly supporting Intros 369 and 367. He opposes Intro 911A as counter to the council's intent and supports Intro 356 for community composter fees.
Jameer Rush of Cafeteria Culture describes a pilot program where one compost coordinator diverted over a ton of food scraps from four schools, arguing Intro 369 would enable scalable local composting that reduces truck traffic and supports education and community engagement.
Rhonda Keyser explains that schools generate large consistent volumes of food scraps, making them the most efficient places to recover organics. She describes students' hands-on learning and sense of ownership at compost sites, urging the council to pass Intro 369.
Mary Ellen Sullivan of the Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, and Queens Solid Waste Advisory Boards strongly supports Intro 369, warning that co-digesting organics with sewage creates contaminated biosolids. She recommends re-establishing a compost siting task force, prioritizing nonprofit composters, and integrating environmental justice and workforce development.
Matthew Civello, chair of the Manhattan SWAB, supports Intro 367 as building on the waste equity law to reduce truck traffic in overburdened communities. He requests DSNY make public its findings on carter interest in using marine transfer stations and a feasibility evaluation.
Wendy Frank supports Intro 356 for community composter financial sustainability and Intro 353's working group, recommending expanded membership including commercial waste customers and micro-haulers, annual public reports, and greater transparency. She also reminds the committee about composting at large citywide events.
Domingo Morales of Compost Power, operating eight compost sites on public housing campuses, supports Intro 369 for local composting capacity and Intro 356 for financial sustainability. He describes a hyperlocal model of collecting, processing, and distributing compost on NYCHA campuses for free food and education.
Justin Green of Big Reuse supports expanding composting capacity, citing potential sites at NYCHA, parks, community gardens, and brownfield sites. He argues against relying on anaerobic digestion due to contaminated biosolids and advocates for compost as green infrastructure that improves water absorption and plant growth.
Erin Wright representing Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso urges passage of Intro 353's working group and Intro 367 for marine transfer stations, expresses concern about Intro 911A's precedent, and provides written comments on Intro 369. She notes positive early CWZ implementation results on safety, unionization, and costs.
Lou Dubuque of the National Waste and Recycling Association strongly supports Intro 353's working group, supports expanding marine and rail use with concerns about mandatory participation under Intro 367, and notes written testimony was submitted on Intro 911A. His oral testimony is cut off by the time limit.
Sanchez asks if there are any additional public comments, hearing none, wishes everyone a happy summer and adjourns until September.