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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

NYC Council Sanitation Committee Hearing on Waste Equity, October 15, 2026

City Council — Thursday, October 15, 2026

BodyNew York City, New York

SessionCity Council

DateThursday, October 15, 2026

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 2:21:53

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

Speaker numbers apply only to this recording. Names come from transcript evidence. “Possibly” marks uncertain attribution.

Speaker 1

0:14

Good afternoon and welcome to today's New York City Council hearing on committee on sanitation and solid waste management.

0:24

During this time, during this today's hearing, no one may approach the day.

0:29

Please silence any training devices you may have.

0:33

Chair, you may begin.

Speaker 2

0:37

Thank you, Roman.

0:38

Good morning.

0:39

Oh, good afternoon, everyone.

Unassigned speaker

0:41

I

Speaker 2

0:41

think this is the latest start time that we've ever had to this committee.

0:44

Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome to today's committee on sanitation and solid waste management.

0:50

I want to give all of you guys that are actually in here a round of applause.

0:53

Thank you for joining us.

0:54

Thank you for caring about waste equity in our city.

0:56

Um, having said that, my name is Justin Sanchez.

1:01

I am a council member and proud chair of this committee.

1:05

I want to thank uh all the members of the committee and the representatives of the admin for joining us today.

1:11

Um

Unassigned speaker

1:12

the

Speaker 2

1:12

council members who are here present with us are Councilmember Zhuang, Councilmember Lewis, Councilmember Hankerson.

Unassigned speaker

1:22

Um,

Speaker 2

1:23

I see no one on Zoom.

1:25

Thank you, everyone for your wide attendance.

1:29

Uh today's purpose uh of today's oversight hearing is to learn more about the city's implementation of the waste equity law.

1:37

So this was passed as local law 152 in 2018, and to assess our progress on reducing the negative impacts of the city's waste collection, recycling and transfer industry on vulnerable New Yorkers.

1:52

New York City's most economically disadvantaged communities and communities of color.

1:58

Hi, my district, uh, tend to face disproportionate health hazards associated with waste transfer infrastructure.

2:08

Specifically Bronx 1 and 2.

2:11

Hi.

2:11

Uh exposure to heavy truck traffic and the accompanying noise, air pollution and odor have been linked to various negative health and developmental outcomes, including, but not limited to reduced intellectual development in children, increased incidence of asthma, and heightened risk of heart defects and low birth weights in babies when birthing parents are exposed to truck emissions during pregnancies.

2:36

I'd also like to note that we've been welcomed by Councilmember Wilson.

Damon Gilbert · Speaker 3Inferred

2:40

Oh, and a truck sounded just at that

Speaker 2

2:43

time.

Unassigned speaker

2:44

If

Speaker 2

2:44

you could hear that.

4:28

I want to underscore that citywide in the law's passage.

4:32

However, that being said, we are concerned that none, zero, of the four designated community districts slated for the mandated reductions in permitted private transfer station capacity have achieved full compliance with the reduction of the requirements of the waste equity law.

Unassigned speaker

4:50

Additionally, we are worried that the permitted capacity reductions we have seen targeted mostly unused capacity at waste transfer stations, and that two stations appear to have not gone any reduction whatsoever.

Speaker 2

5:04

And just so that everyone is on the same page.

5:07

So out of the four community districts that we spoke about Brooklyn C D1, Queen C D 12, Bronx C D1, and Bronx C D2.

5:15

Brooklyn CD1 was supposed to have a 50 50% reduction in capacity, whereas Queen's CD 12, Bronx 1, and Bronx 2 were supposed to have a 33% reduction in capacity, and none of those targets have been hit.

5:30

So having said that, um, despite progress on the waste equity laws, we want to be clear that we have seen a 15% reduction in the city wide.

5:41

So there has been progress.

5:42

Um, as uh despite that progress, the city is far from achieving its equitable distribution of the burdens of waste transfer infrastructure citywide.

5:51

To date, approximately 74% of citywide throughput, the average uh daily amount of solid waste delivered from a solid waste transfer station remains concentrated in the four designated community districts.

6:07

We look forward to hearing from DSNY and advocates about the implementation challenges and the shortcomings of the waste equity law and the city's plans to fulfill the law's requirements as soon as possible.

6:18

We also look forward to discussing proposals to improve waste infrastructure inequities borne by these communities.

6:25

In addition to the oversight, we will be hearing five bills today.

6:30

First, intro number 30.

6:32

So, before I start that, we've been welcomed by uh Councilmember Epstein.

6:38

Uh first, intro number 30, sponsored by Majority Leader Abreu and Councilmember Lewis, would require the city to create a program that would mandate city owned non-residential buildings to dispose of their waste in stationary on street containers.

6:54

Intro number 987, also sponsored by majority leader of Reyu and Councilmember Wrestler, would allow block associations and nonprofit associations to request stationary on street waste containers for the storage and collection of waste.

7:09

Next up, intro number 352, sponsored by Councilmember Nurse, which would require DSNY to develop a plan for ensuring proper disposal of rechargeable batteries used for powered mobility devices, such as motorized bicycles and scooters.

7:25

We are also hearing intro 401, sponsored by Councilmember Wrestler, which would require DSNY to install a minimum number of public organic waste receptacles in every community district.

7:37

Finally, intro number 1041, sponsored by Councilmember Hankerson.

7:44

This bill would bar DSNY from removing public litter baskets solely on the basis that they were used for illegal dumping, requiring notification to council members and community boards when a removal is proposed, and publishing data around why baskets were removed and why.

8:00

I now pass the floor and the mic to Councilmember Hankerson to discuss this bill.

Speaker 4

8:05

Thank you, Chair.

8:07

Good afternoon, everyone.

8:08

For years, New Yorkers have been calling for cleaner streets and better sanitation services to improve the quality of life in their neighborhoods.

8:15

Residents have continuously pushed for more public litter baskets, and council members have even allocated funding to DSNY to bring more baskets into their districts.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Sanitation and Solid Waste Management█████████████████████████████████████████████70%

Environmental Protection███████████17%

Racial Equity██3%

Public Health██3%

Technology and Innovation█2%

Procedural█2%

Community Engagement█1%

Public Space Management█1%

Public Engagement█1%

Summary of Proceedings

NYC Council Sanitation Committee Hearing on Waste Equity, October 15, 2026

The New York City Council Committee on Sanitation and Solid Waste Management, chaired by Council Member Justin E. Sanchez, met on Thursday, October 15, 2026, at 1:00 PM at 250 Broadway, 8th Floor Hearing Room 1, for an oversight hearing on waste equity and environmental justice and to consider five local law introductions. Members present included Hankerson, Louis, Maloney, Thomas-Henry, Wilson, and Zhuang; Santosuosso and Ung were absent; Hanif and Vernikov were excused on medical leave. Council Members Epstein and Restler also attended.

Oversight: Waste Equity and Environmental Justice

Chair Sanchez said the committee has seen a 15% citywide reduction in permitted transfer-station capacity but stated that none of the four community districts designated under Local Law 152 of 2018 had achieved full compliance with the law's required reductions: Brooklyn CD1 was required to cut 50% but is at 35.8%; Queens CD12 and Bronx CDs 1 and 2 were required to cut 33% but are at 23.9%, 14.8%, and 21%, respectively. He also said about 74% of citywide throughput remains concentrated in those four districts.
Chair Sanchez expressed concern that reductions have targeted mostly unused capacity and that two Waste Management stations in Bronx CD1 and Brooklyn CD1 appear to have had no reduction. DSNY Commissioner Gregory Anderson responded that the law has been fully implemented as written and as analyzed in the environmental review, with exemptions under Local Law 152 for demonstrated recycling/organics processing, construction and demolition debris beneficial use, and facilities exporting most waste by rail; he said the two Waste Management facilities export nearly all waste by rail.
DSNY reported that reductions cut not only permitted capacity but also actual throughput and truck traffic, and that the commercial waste zones program under Local Law 199 of 2019 is expected to cut commercial waste truck traffic by 63% and more than 18 million vehicle miles traveled annually when fully implemented. The FY26 Commercial Waste Zones annual report, released two weeks before the hearing, documented six operational zones, 192,000 outreach activities, and 2,581 employee trainings.
DSNY said it will provide the council with records of exemptions and capacity-increase determinations, and will analyze 311 complaint/service-request volume in environmental-justice versus non-environmental-justice communities.
Discussion also covered marine transfer stations, possible commercial waste use of municipal marine transfer stations, enforcement against illegal dumping, and the department's inability to measure actual truck-traffic changes until commercial waste zones are fully implemented.

Legislation Considered

Int 0030-2026 (sponsored by Majority Leader Abreu and Council Member Louis) would require a program for city-owned non-residential buildings to use stationary on-street waste containers. DSNY said city agencies are already required to containerize trash, and adding Empire bins at every city facility could divert resources from the residential containerization rollout to 2031, but the department is open to continued talks.
Int 0987-2026 (Abreu and Restler) would allow block associations and nonprofits to request stationary on-street containers. DSNY noted an existing application process for shared Empire bins in Brooklyn CD2 and said it looks forward to further discussions.
Int 0352-2026 (Council Member Nurse) would require DSNY to plan for safe disposal of rechargeable batteries from powered mobility devices. DSNY described existing special waste drop-off sites and safe-disposal events, and said battery manufacturers should bear primary cost; the state's extended producer responsibility program is being expanded to e-mobility batteries, though retailer take-back of those batteries remains voluntary. DSNY said added sites and event collection would require substantial additional funding.
Int 0401-2026 (Restler) would require DSNY to install 25 public organic waste receptacles per community district. DSNY opposed the bill at this time, citing a 42% decline in smart compost bin utilization from FY25 to FY26, the mandatory curbside composting program, and the cost of installing and servicing additional bins.
Int 1041-2026 (Council Member Hankerson) would bar DSNY from removing public litter baskets solely because of illegal dumping, require notification to council members and community boards at least 10 business days before removal, and require reporting. Commissioner Anderson said he has not removed a litter basket since taking office in March 2026, but argued the department should keep removal as a last resort; DSNY recently began updating the litter basket inventory on open data monthly.

Public Comments & Testimony

Joyce Bialik, Manhattan Solid Waste Advisory Board Plastic Task Force, testified for WE ACT for Environmental Justice and supported Int 1041. She cited a 2023 study finding East Harlem had 69 litter baskets versus 260 in the Upper East Side, with 17% versus 95% of four-corner intersections having baskets and 51% versus 6% dirty blocks on Madison Avenue, and urged hearings on plastic-related bills.
Alia Sumro, New York League of Conservation Voters, supported Int 0030 and the intent of Int 0352, and said the city should tailor battery legislation to the state's new extended producer responsibility law signed in December 2025.
Damon Gilbert, New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, described Redfern Houses residents in Far Rockaway living across from the Inwood Material Terminal in Nassau County, which processes construction and demolition debris. He supported Int 0367 (not on today's agenda), Int 0987, and Int 0030, and called for sidewalk accessibility in containerization plans.
An Uprose representative from Sunset Park supported the bills before the committee, adding that one barge can replace about 96 long-haul truck trips, and urged passage of Int 0367 and use of marine/rail transfer stations for commercial waste.
Shravanti Kaneka, NYC Environmental Justice Alliance, said 75% of privately managed waste is still trucked through five community districts; she urged full implementation of commercial waste zones, passage of Int 0367, and opposed expanding anaerobic co-digestion at wastewater resource recovery facilities.
Mary Ellen Sullivan, Brooklyn Solid Waste Advisory Board, supported public organic waste receptacles with community composters involved, and urged stationary bins for recyclables and organics as well as trash.
Rhonda Kaiser, Cafeteria Culture, described Harlem students diverting almost one metric ton of cafeteria food scraps to a local composting partner and urged policies that support local, non-truck-based composting.
Christopher Leon Johnson supported Int 0352 and called for stricter enforcement against modified e-bike batteries, including confiscation of dangerous batteries.
Claire Mifflin urged expanding on-street containerization to all waste streams and warned that maintenance-agreement requirements make it difficult for block associations and small buildings to participate.
Eric Goldstein, Natural Resources Defense Council, urged support for Int 0367, expansion of NYCHA composting programs, and action to avoid renewing contracts with the Essex County and Chester incinerators when they expire in 2032.
Haley Miranda, a South Bronx youth organizer, described family experiences with asthma and urged passage of Int 0367, reduced truck traffic, and caution about anaerobic digestion.
M. Blaze Backer, a Fort Greene resident and former BID director, testified that the shared-container maintenance arrangement is a heavy lift for small buildings and recommended including recycling and compost containers.

Key Outcomes

The committee filed the oversight item T2026-2585.
Hearings were held on Int 0030-2026, Int 0352-2026, Int 0401-2026, Int 0987-2026, and Int 1041-2026; all five introductions were laid over by the committee without a vote.
DSNY committed to provide exemption data and to follow up on data requests, including an analysis of 311 volumes by environmental-justice status.
The chair asked DSNY to prioritize the remaining environmental-justice community districts in future containerization rollouts; DSNY said it would consider the request and noted that Bronx CD2 is among the next districts scheduled.

Meeting Transcript

Good afternoon and welcome to today's New York City Council hearing on committee on sanitation and solid waste management. During this time, during this today's hearing, no one may approach the day. Please silence any training devices you may have. Chair, you may begin. Thank you, Roman. Good morning. Oh, good afternoon, everyone. I think this is the latest start time that we've ever had to this committee. Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome to today's committee on sanitation and solid waste management. I want to give all of you guys that are actually in here a round of applause. Thank you for joining us. Thank you for caring about waste equity in our city. Um, having said that, my name is Justin Sanchez. I am a council member and proud chair of this committee. I want to thank uh all the members of the committee and the representatives of the admin for joining us today. Um the council members who are here present with us are Councilmember Zhuang, Councilmember Lewis, Councilmember Hankerson. Um, I see no one on Zoom. Thank you, everyone for your wide attendance. Uh today's purpose uh of today's oversight hearing is to learn more about the city's implementation of the waste equity law. So this was passed as local law 152 in 2018, and to assess our progress on reducing the negative impacts of the city's waste collection, recycling and transfer industry on vulnerable New Yorkers. New York City's most economically disadvantaged communities and communities of color. Hi, my district, uh, tend to face disproportionate health hazards associated with waste transfer infrastructure. Specifically Bronx 1 and 2. Hi. Uh exposure to heavy truck traffic and the accompanying noise, air pollution and odor have been linked to various negative health and developmental outcomes, including, but not limited to reduced intellectual development in children, increased incidence of asthma, and heightened risk of heart defects and low birth weights in babies when birthing parents are exposed to truck emissions during pregnancies. I'd also like to note that we've been welcomed by Councilmember Wilson. Oh, and a truck sounded just at that time. If you could hear that. I want to underscore that citywide in the law's passage. However, that being said, we are concerned that none, zero, of the four designated community districts slated for the mandated reductions in permitted private transfer station capacity have achieved full compliance with the reduction of the requirements of the waste equity law. Additionally, we are worried that the permitted capacity reductions we have seen targeted mostly unused capacity at waste transfer stations, and that two stations appear to have not gone any reduction whatsoever. And just so that everyone is on the same page. So out of the four community districts that we spoke about Brooklyn C D1, Queen C D 12, Bronx C D1, and Bronx C D2. Brooklyn CD1 was supposed to have a 50 50% reduction in capacity, whereas Queen's CD 12, Bronx 1, and Bronx 2 were supposed to have a 33% reduction in capacity, and none of those targets have been hit. So having said that, um, despite progress on the waste equity laws, we want to be clear that we have seen a 15% reduction in the city wide. So there has been progress. Um, as uh despite that progress, the city is far from achieving its equitable distribution of the burdens of waste transfer infrastructure citywide. To date, approximately 74% of citywide throughput, the average uh daily amount of solid waste delivered from a solid waste transfer station remains concentrated in the four designated community districts. We look forward to hearing from DSNY and advocates about the implementation challenges and the shortcomings of the waste equity law and the city's plans to fulfill the law's requirements as soon as possible. We also look forward to discussing proposals to improve waste infrastructure inequities borne by these communities. In addition to the oversight, we will be hearing five bills today. First, intro number 30. So, before I start that, we've been welcomed by uh Councilmember Epstein. Uh first, intro number 30, sponsored by Majority Leader Abreu and Councilmember Lewis, would require the city to create a program that would mandate city owned non-residential buildings to dispose of their waste in stationary on street containers.

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