In 2013, New York City Council passed Local Law 77, which requires the DSNY Commissioner to establish a voluntary curbside collection pilot for residential organic waste and a school organic waste collection pilot. As part of Local Law 77, the DSNY Commissioner is required to conduct a study on how to improve community composting in NYC and submit the findings to the Mayor and the Council. The 2014 NYC Community Composting Report lists recommendations for how the City could further optimize the use of existing compost sites and resources, as well as expand community composting locations in each of the five boroughs.
This report, which is submitted to the Mayor, the Comptroller, and the City Council in accordance with LL38/2005, discusses the testing, analyses, and assessments of DSNY's alterative fuel sanitation collection vehicles and street sweepers, and the feasibility of incorporating new alternative fuel sanitation vehicles and technology into DSNY's fleet. It also reviews the results of DSNY's pilot program that used alternative fuel street sweeping vehicles in four sanitation districts, with one district in an area with high rates of asthma among residents.
This report summarizes the first two years of the NYC Organics Collection pilot from 2013 to 2015. It details DSNY's operational approach, outreach methodology, costs, participation, diversion rates and recommendations for the growth of the program. Its conclusions are clear: curbside organics collection is viable, popular and effective. As more and more households are brought into this collective effort, we are on sound footing to pursue Zero Waste and to create a more equitable, resilient and sustainable New York City.
The appendices to the 2015 NYC Organics Collection Report provides more data on the Residential Pilot Areas, District Profiles, Participating Schools, the RFID system for bin inventory, and Organics Program in other cities. It also includes a Participation Survey, Recyling Champions outreach, and a history of organics policy in NYC.
This is the Department of Sanitation's first-ever strategic plan - a blueprint to fortify our vital services, enhance employee and public safety, modernize our fleet and facilities, develop our workforce and lead New Yorkers to send zero waste to landfills.
Annual report of the DSNY highlighting its Zero Waste Policy including programs such as the expansion of their curbside collection program. It also highlighted the adjustment of the City's Business Recycling rules making it easier for companies to recycle and launch of DSNY app.