New York City's Trash Plan Under Fire: Advocates Push for Expanded Containerization
A recent report by two prominent environmental organizations, the Center for Building in North America and the Center for Zero Waste Design, has criticized New York City's sanitation department plan to containerize trash, arguing that it does not go far enough in addressing the city's recycling issues.
The report highlights the fact that despite the plan, which was pushed under Mayor Eric Adams, many recyclables continue to clutter up sidewalks. The organizations are calling for the city to eventually require recyclables, as well as compost, to be put out in the city's new "Empire Bins," which are slowly being rolled out in parking spaces.
According to Clare Miflin, executive director of the Center for Zero Waste Design, the city was too narrow in its focus on removing garbage bags from sidewalks and failed to consider recycling. "When you're going to do something this big and expensive, I think you need to think bigger," she said, outlining a vision where all types of waste, including recycling streams and compostable waste, are stored in bins alongside each other.
The sanitation department plans to install these street-side bins in front of every residential building with more than 30 units over the next seven years. However, owners of smaller buildings can either opt for one of the bins or use wheelie bins set out for collection. Landlords with fewer than 10 units are already required to put out their trash in smaller containers.
Sanitation department spokesperson Joshua Goodman argues that the city's approach balances what is possible on narrow streets with the goal of getting trash off sidewalks. He notes that once-weekly mountains of recycling don't attract rats in the same way as garbage bags, which get collected more frequently.
The report also points out that adding compost and recycling to the Empire Bins has precedent, having been successfully implemented in schools in Brooklyn and Upper Manhattan. Zero Waste Design, however, continues to push for a more ambitious plan, arguing that the current approach is not sufficient.
As Zohran Mamdani takes office as the new mayor of New York City, some may see an opportunity for change. Miflin is part of the 400-person team working on Mamdani's transition, and he has stated his support for containerizing the city's recycling. The future of waste management in New York City remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: the conversation around this issue is far from over.
A recent report by two prominent environmental organizations, the Center for Building in North America and the Center for Zero Waste Design, has criticized New York City's sanitation department plan to containerize trash, arguing that it does not go far enough in addressing the city's recycling issues.
The report highlights the fact that despite the plan, which was pushed under Mayor Eric Adams, many recyclables continue to clutter up sidewalks. The organizations are calling for the city to eventually require recyclables, as well as compost, to be put out in the city's new "Empire Bins," which are slowly being rolled out in parking spaces.
According to Clare Miflin, executive director of the Center for Zero Waste Design, the city was too narrow in its focus on removing garbage bags from sidewalks and failed to consider recycling. "When you're going to do something this big and expensive, I think you need to think bigger," she said, outlining a vision where all types of waste, including recycling streams and compostable waste, are stored in bins alongside each other.
The sanitation department plans to install these street-side bins in front of every residential building with more than 30 units over the next seven years. However, owners of smaller buildings can either opt for one of the bins or use wheelie bins set out for collection. Landlords with fewer than 10 units are already required to put out their trash in smaller containers.
Sanitation department spokesperson Joshua Goodman argues that the city's approach balances what is possible on narrow streets with the goal of getting trash off sidewalks. He notes that once-weekly mountains of recycling don't attract rats in the same way as garbage bags, which get collected more frequently.
The report also points out that adding compost and recycling to the Empire Bins has precedent, having been successfully implemented in schools in Brooklyn and Upper Manhattan. Zero Waste Design, however, continues to push for a more ambitious plan, arguing that the current approach is not sufficient.
As Zohran Mamdani takes office as the new mayor of New York City, some may see an opportunity for change. Miflin is part of the 400-person team working on Mamdani's transition, and he has stated his support for containerizing the city's recycling. The future of waste management in New York City remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: the conversation around this issue is far from over.
I'm kinda worried about the state of our trash cans, fam! 
I mean, NYC's got a plan to containerize its trash, which is cool and all, but it still leaves room for improvement 
. Like, what if we take it up a notch? 
We could have one big bin with separate compartments for recycling, compost, and trash... it'd be so much cleaner 
! Just think about it, every building has the same system 
, no more dodgy wheelie bins or tiny trash cans 
. And, can we please make sure all of these bins are designed with accessibility in mind? People with mobility issues should have an easy time using them too 
. I'm rooting for Zohran Mamdani to take this waste management thing seriously 
!
the idea of putting all types of waste in the same bins together is genius! i mean why make it complicated? and btw i love that they took inspiration from schools in brooklyn and upper manhattan, thats awesome 
Joshua Goodman's point about rats not being attracted to recycling bins makes sense too 
but what really gets me is that people are still complaining about the initial plan... like hello we're trying here!!! 
let's hope the new mayor takes it seriously and makes some real changes 
... they're just trying to sweep it under the rug like always. containerizing recyclables is a good start i guess, but it's all about where the city chooses to put these bins 
. Landlords with fewer than 10 units already have to deal with this kinda stuff. And what about the ppl who can't afford new bins? just another example of the city screwing over its citizens 
. First, we gotta get all those recyclables off the streets and into proper containers, then we can even think about composting 
. It's not rocket science, folks! Just give us some decent bins that actually work and we'll be set 
. I mean, come on, Mayor Adams' plan was a start, but it seems like they're just scratching the surface 
. We need a bigger vision for our waste management, one that includes all types of waste, not just recycling 
. I'm keeping an eye on this new mayor, Zohran Mamdani, to see if he's gonna make some real changes 
. Anyway, I'll be keeping an eye on this situation and hoping they step up their game soon 
I'm so done with the way NY is handling trash 
. And what's up with only making it mandatory for bigger buildings? 
It's time to get serious about reducing waste and promoting sustainability in this city! I mean, we're already seeing schools do it successfully in Brooklyn and Upper Manhattan, why can't we scale that up? 
think it's a big deal that advocates are pushing for expanded containerization... like, i get where they're coming from - recycling issues in NYC need serious attention 
. compost and recycling should be in the empire bins too, period. can't we think bigger than this? 
7 years is way too long for them to figure this out. zohran mamdani should take action ASAP. nyc deserves better 
. i think we need to take a step back and ask ourselves what our real goals are here - is it just about getting trash off the streets or is it about creating a system that actually works for the environment? 
These environmental orgs are calling out the city for being too narrow-minded (no pun intended) with their approach.
#WasteManagementMatters. maybe zohran mamdani's team can bring some fresh ideas to the table 
#NewBeginnings. let's hope we get a more sustainable solution for nyc soon 