Waste Prevention Ideas From New York City Waste Prevention Advocacy Organizations 1

DOS / DSNY position about waste prevention “DSNY does not advocate setting percentage-based waste-prevention goals or mandates, on an expectation of a substantial decrease in the DSNY- managed waste stream from waste-prevention programs” “DSNY still supports waste prevention at the municipal level because of its great educational benefits…” 2

The New York City Waste Prevention Coalition is a network of organizations and individuals dedicated to promoting waste prevention as the most responsible, environmentally sound and cost-effective means to solve New York City's mounting solid waste problems. 3

Waste prevention legislation for NYC and NYS, for residents, businesses and government Incentives for WP and Disincentives against wasting Funding and Staffing for WP education and programs Educational / Vocational WP and Reuse Programs Research to Help Design WP programs Waste Prevention Reporting Requirements Waste Prevention Goals in Long-Range Plans 4

Intro 509. Comprehensive, ambitious environmental procurement requirements for City agencies Purchasing, Maintenance, and Disposition of all types of Durables, Nondurables, Disposables, Packaging and Toxics Rates and dates for agency purchase requirements Contractor Requirements 10 year waste prevention plan for city agencies Annual reports of waste prevention in city agencies 5

Specifications, Minimum warrantees Minimum content standards for recycled products Documentation of the effectiveness of each requirement quantitatively Cost per ton, overall cost, percent prevented, etc… on an annual basis. All purchases of printing and writing paper of chlorine-free recycled paper In 2005 some of the provisions passed in several bills. 6

City agencies review newly developed or existing procurement specs to determine whether they would exclude, eliminate or discourage purchase of recycled products or packaging, products or packaging manufactured from recyclable materials products, packaging or equipment that have been remanufactured; or products or packaging that facilitate waste prevention, including but not limited to rechargeable batteries. 7

Ban disposable packaging if food consumed onsite Require all plastic bags be made of 1 resin (recyclability) Ban sale of plastic bottle and jugs that cannot be recycled in NYC’s curbside program in NYC (e.g. PVC). Tax on packaging containing toxic metals, compounds 8

Require products sold in NYC be labeled with (1) product-to-package ratio (2) cost of packaging, (3) package recyclability in NYC recycling program (4) toxics content of packaging (chlorine, lead, cadmium, mercury), and (5) secondary and postconsumer content in packaging. Tax excessively packaged products based on product/packaging ratio 9

Require Sunday newspapers be available by the section Tax credit for refillable, rechargeable, recycled content, design for environment products Tax credit for companies that install equipment that uses fewer nondurable products or that repair durable products Eliminate sales tax on double-sided copiers, printers, mulching mowers, green designs. 10

Require food vendors charge for disposable utensils, cups, plates, napkins. Require that retailers sell a certain percentage of their goods in bulk. Reduce by 90% the amount of toxics in products & packaging All cash registers should have a “Bring Your Own Bag” sign. 11

Mandate commercial waste audits and business source reduction plans All City contracts with the private sector for management of solid waste or resources, should include waste prevention services as a deliverable. Require manufacturers to label products for warrantee period and provide information to purchaser on where products can be repaired 12

Make NYC residents aware of how much they pay in taxes to throw their trash away in preparation for substituting quantity-based user fees for hidden garbage taxes. Institute pilots first in outer boroughs (less density), then in Manhattan. 13

Conduct at least 3 studies of PAYT strategies in outer boroughs and high density areas, continuing pilots until any problems are resolved. Institute Residential PAYT first in outer boroughs, then Manhattan. 14

Quantity-Based User Fees (PAYT) would backfire in City Agencies (they’d just ask for a larger budget) Institute QBUIs for all municipal and non-municipal institutions, where the City and the institution share the savings from the waste prevented. 15

Mayor’s daily waste prevention moment (media) Waste prevention blitzes (1 message / 6 months) Waste prevention principles integrated into school curricula. Free advertising directory / DOS hotline for repair, thrift, reuse shops Institute block / bldg captains to distribute education Booklet on commercial PAYT given to businesses 16

Funding request for 5 Vocational Training and Placement institutes for new generation of Durables Repair professionals. Recommended 59 storefronts with Swap Shops, Educational staff, Hazwaste dropoff. November 2000, the City Council endorsed and funded WPC plan to establish waste prevention coordinators in several neighborhoods around the City. 17

Free composters for residences, community gardens for use onsite. Expand City’s Materials for the Arts pilot reuse center to all boroughs Institute battery exchange at public Hospitals All school, agency cafeterias converted to reusables or compostables 18

Undertake a packaging study – what constitutes appropriate packaging? Then propose legislation, educational programs, and incentives. Waste prevention-oriented product and packaging categories in waste comp studies to facilitate design of waste prevention programs (proposed 1989 and 2000, 2005) Some utilized. 19

Establish uniform method of measuring the effectiveness of waste prevention programs by how many tons they prevent. Institute a computerized tracking system for reusable items (computers, furniture, etc…) in City government warehouse, accessible to those in City agencies. Conduct an evaluation of DSNY’s Mail Preference Service postcard service 20

 Lobbied all Councilmembers asking for rejection of 2004 Solid Waste Management Plan if no Waste Prevention / Reuse in it 2005 State SWM Act revision – includes Zero Waste goal, require zero waste initiatives in every year of a plan, and that the initiatives are funded and implemented. 21

Report ~ 200 pages (to influence City’s 2004 SWMP) By 2009 Goal: 15% of Total Preventables diverted By 2014 Goal: 35% of preventables are diverted By 2024 Goal: 100% of preventables are diverted Milestones in all zero waste categories and modalities (education, legislation, programs, incentives, research) 22

Waste prevention purchasing and management staff (5) Technical assistance office for agency waste prevention (12) performing waste audits annually School waste prevention coordinators (10 staff) Business waste prevention technical assistance office created (12 staff) performing business waste audits, managing a revolving loan 23

Complete copies of testimony, reports, legislation, recommendations, WPC bylaws, and related resources : Why Waste NYC? website: Longer Powerpoint with full list of WPC Recommendations available at GRRN.org later More research articles, papers on zero waste issues: