DSNY Announces Initiatives to Better Manage NYC Waste

The City of New York Department of Sanitation (DSNY) announced two new initiatives to better manage the tons of waste created by city residents and businesses.

New York City is denser than any other American city and lacks alleyways common in other locations. Because of this, New Yorkers for more than a century have placed their waste out for collection on the city sidewalks. These initiatives seek to promote alternative strategies for setting out and managing waste for collection, opening up sidewalks for other uses, according to DSNY.

First, DSNY published a proposed rule in the City Record that would require all new apartment buildings with 300 or more units to utilize containerized collection for their waste and submit a waste management plan to be approved by DSNY. Many residential building developers do not adequately plan for the volumes of waste their future residents will generate. This results in large piles of bags left curbside on narrow sidewalks and accessible to critters looking for a meal. Containerization requires waste to be kept in large containers, which are collected by specialized sanitation trucks, not put in bags on the sidewalk awaiting collection by hand. Covered buildings that do not comply with this requirement will not be eligible to sanitation collection services. The rule also will cover any commercial-to-residential conversion with more than 300 units.

“City pedestrians navigate around piles of trash and recycling that take up significant sidewalk space,” said DSNY Commissioner Kathryn Garcia in a statement. “It is time to make smarter, more efficient choices when it comes to the way New Yorkers set out refuse and recycling for collection in the public right of way. Today’s announcement is the first step in that direction.”

The proposed rule also requires residential buildings with 150 or more units to submit a waste management plan that outlines:

DSNY will hold a public hearing on these proposed rules on April 16.

In another effort to make garbage and recycling setouts cleaner and more efficient, DSNY and the Department of Transportation (DOT) are collaborating in the “Clean Curbs” pilot program for commercial waste. Through the pilot program, private entities, such as Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), can apply for the opportunity to have sealed, on-street containers for their trash and recycling storage, which will reduce their need to set out bags of recyclables and garbage for collection on city sidewalks.

The Clean Curbs pilot program was developed after reviewing responses to DSNY’s and DOT’s Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) on containerized waste, including designs from Center for Zero Waste Design and from Marvel Architects with Recycle Track Systems, in partnership with Sam Schwartz Engineering and HR&A Advisors. The RFEI, released last year, sought creative solutions that would reduce the volume of refuse and recycling setouts on city sidewalks, increase waste diversion, reduce truck traffic and greenhouse gas emissions associated with waste collection and improve the cleanliness of city streets and sidewalks.

“DOT is excited to work with DSNY on the new Clean Curbs pilot program,” said New York City DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg in a statement. “Allowing eligible BIDs to experiment with installing sealed, on-street garbage and recycling containers will help make New York’s bustling sidewalks cleaner, more accessible and more enjoyable for residents and tourists alike.”

While final designs of the Clean Curbs containers will be based on an applicant’s location and specific waste management needs, the entity will be required to sign a maintenance agreement with DSNY to ensure the area is kept clean and de-iced for snow. The containers must meet strict requirements and specifications, such as being fully enclosed, rodent proof and be compatible with carter operations and commercial regulations.

Applications for the Clean Curbs pilot program will be accepted beginning this spring and must be approved by the DSNY and DOT.