Damon Gilbert describes waste inequity at Redfern Houses

Next, can we please hear from Damon?

Good afternoon.

My name is Damon Gilbert.

I'm a staff attorney with New York Lawyers for the Public Interest.

Thank you for holding this hearing on waste equity.

I'm here today to talk about how the city could further pursue its waste equity goals.

In Far Rockaway, residents of NYCHA's Redfern Housing experience the harms of waste inequity firsthand.

They live just across the street from a facility in Nassau County called the Inwood Material Terminal, which processes construction and demolition debris and releases dust from these processes.

That covers residents'homes, their cars, and their common spaces within hours of cleaning them.

Many residents also report problems breathing and asthma complications due to the poor air quality from the past 10 years of the terminal's operation.

And while the facility is in Nassau County, the people bearing the burdens are New York City public housing residents.

And their experience illustrates why we need systemic solutions to waste inequity.

We thank the committee for its July hearing on Intro 367, and we urge the bill's passage as it would allow

commercial waste to be accepted at city-owned marine and rail transfer stations, which would reduce reliance on private transfer stations concentrated in environmental justice communities like this one.

It would also help reduce unnecessary truck traffic and operational pollution.

To that end, we also urge DSNY, City Council, and State DEC to include a firm commitment to this equity program in the forthcoming 10-year solid waste management plan.

Finally, we support Intros 987 and 30 and commend the Council's efforts to expand waste containerization, but sidewalk accessibility must be part of that approach.

Under the current plan, smaller residential buildings would still use individual bins and recycling bags, which could create significant obstacles and unpredictable hazards for people with disabilities.

For this reason, we urge the Council to build on Intro 987 by making sidewalks truly waste-free and supporting the required use of on-street containers throughout the city and amend the bill to direct DSNY to partner with disability communities to develop placement guidelines.

Thank you.