Manhattan Citizens' Solid Waste Advisory Board
Accomplishments
MCSWAB ACCOMPLISHMENTS – Draft 2 Feb 1, 04, amended Dec 2005
1988 CAC commissioned Tellus Institute to support its strong recycling and waste prevention position. The Department of Sanitation (DSNY) subsequently hired Tellus to prepare the NYC Solid Waste Management Plan that favored recycling prior to disposal. The Manhattan Citizen’s Advisory Committee for Resource Recovery and the Environment (CAC), precursor to MCSWAB, was commissioned to review the Environmental Impact Statements for Waste-to-Energy facilities.
1989 CAC recommended an intensive recycling zone in Park Slope, Brooklyn. DSNY implemented the pilot project to research: recycling food waste, mixed plastics and papers, household hazardous waste and more intensive waste prevention education with partial funding from the Manhattan Borough President, David Dinkins.
1990-1991 MCSWAB conducted educational seminars for the public and interested professionals on recycling issues, market development for recyclables and procurement of recycled products.
1992 MCSWAB conducted successful budget negotiations to restore recycling funds to the FY92 budget. It collected 15,000 petition signatures and produced a radio spot to encourage public input.
?year MCSWAB Residential and Commercial Recycling Committee recommendations were incorporated in revised DSNY regulations.
1992 MCSWAB Residential Recycling Committee recommendations led DSNY to revise the brochure sent to all Manhattan households about recycling expansion in September.
? year MCSWAB Residential Recycling Committee established contact with the Rent Stabilization Association, Local 32B (the building superintendents' union), the Council of New York Cooperatives, the Real Estate Board, and many other major residential housing organizations to improve recycling participation rates.
?year MCSWAB pressure contributed to passage of Intro 131 which gave the NYC Council the power to approve or disapprove the SWMP before submission to the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation.
?year MCSWAB pressure accelerated the Citywide recycling implementation schedule to within one year.
?year MCSWAB pressure increased the 2000 waste prevention target from 7% to 9%.
?year MCSWAB commissioned the Appendix to Recycle First, the Citizen’s Advisory Board’s alternative to the SWMP. Case studies on recycling education, collection, processing, marketing waste prevention and composting buttressed Recycle First's arguments and prompted DSNY research.
?year(s) MCSWAB Waste Prevention Committee recommendations caused DSNY to include a prevention-oriented waste composition study and extensive multi-year recycling and waste prevention studies in the SWMP.
?year MCSWAB pressure created the DOS position of Director of Waste Prevention with supporting staff. for the position.
1990-2000 MCSWAB pressure encouraged DCAS to implement the buy-recycled portions of Local Law 19 and to issue the required annual reports.
2002 MCSWAB developed The Rational Solid Waste Management In NY, the MCSWAB 2002 Policy Guide. It was used to educate the public as well as the City Council when term limit expirations brought many new council members.
2002 MCSWAB supported and participated in the Recycling Roundtable, which produced major recommendations to revive curbside recycling in NYC. A key finding, development of a long term contract for processing and marketing of metal, glass and plastic, is being implemented by DOS with a contract expected in spring 2004.
2000-2004 MCSWAB pressured DOS to undertake a
Commercial Waste Study and incorporate commercial waste management into the 2004
SWMP. The study also evaluates additional possible export sites in Manhattan
(an evaluation long resisted by DOS), and use of the MTS system to handle
commercial waste.
2002-2004 MCSWAB Export Committee educated NYC Community
Boards about solid waste management and conducted a series of forums (June 23,
03 October 27, 03 and ?, 04) to encourage public acceptance of fairly
distributed solid waste management facility sites.
2005 MCSWAB's planning committee in concert with the Waste Prevention Coalition presented sets of recommendations for bills to revise and improve the New York State Solid Waste Management Act of 1988 to Assemblyman William Colton, chair of the NYS Legislative Commission on Solid Waste Management, who pledged to try to get them passed.
2005 MCSWAB's efforts, beginning with creation and lobbying for Intro 509 of 1995 - omnibus environmental procurement legislation, Intro 482 of 1998, and subsequent bills, resulted in passage of several environmental procurement bills in late 2005, including creation of an environmental procurement office in the City government and other requirements.
MCSWAB Accomplishments As of August 20, 1993
The following is a small sampling of the important, beneficial changes in the City's approach to waste management issues which members of MCSWAB have helped to make happen.
o In 1988 the CAC precursor to MCSWAB inspired DOS' shift in emphasis from incineration to recycling. Originally commissioned to review Environmental Impact Statements for waste-to-energy facilities, the CAC forcefully argued for a strong recycling and waste prevention program and commissioned a report from Tellus Institute to support its position. Tellus was subsequently hired by DOS to prepare the City's Solid Waste Management Plan.
o The SWAB was instrumental in the establishment of an intensive recycling zone in Park Slope. This concept originated as a MCAC recommendation to DOS in 1989 and was supported, in part, by funding by the Manhattan Borough President (Dinkins). This pilot project has served as a focal point for research into additional recyclables such as food waste, mixed plastics and papers, and household hazardous waste, as well as more intensive waste prevention education.
o MCSWAB conducted a heroic AND SUCCESSFUL budget fight to restore recycling funds to the FY'92 budget when it appeared recycling might be terminated entirely. This included obtaining 15,000 signed petitions and production of a radio spot to encourage public input into this decision.
o A number of recommendations made by MCSWAB's Residential and Commercial Recycling Committees were incorporated into the City's revised regulations.
o An Ad-Hoc MCSWAB committee influenced DOS to require recycled content in blue bags in the residential recycling regulations.
o Our Residential Recycling Committee also had a significant impact on the brochure which was sent to all Manhattan residents to announce the Manhattan recycling expansion in September 1992. DOS made several important revisions to the brochure, following the suggestions of the committee.
o The Residential Recycling Committee has also been very effective in establishing contacts with the Rent Stabilization Association, Local 32B (the building superintendants' union), the Council of New York Cooperatives, the Real Estate Board, and many other major residential housing organizations in the City to improve recycling participation rates.
o MCSWAB impacted the NYC DOS Solid Waste Management Plan (SWMP) in several important ways, among them:
o MCSWAB pressure contributed to the passage of Intro. 131, which gave the City Council the power to input into the SWMP before it could be submitted to NYS Department of Environmental Conservation.
o MCSWAB suggestions accelerated the recycling implementation schedule so that recycling could be Citywide within one year.
o MCSWAB-suggested changes increased the waste prevention target for 2000 from 7% to 9%.
o MCSWAB commissioned the Appendix to Recycle First, the citizens' advisory boards' alternative to the SWMP. This collection of several dozen case studies on recycling education, collection, processing, marketing, and on waste prevention and composting, not only buttressed Recycle First's arguments, but also has served to move DOS to conduct much more of their own research in these areas.
o MCSWAB's Waste Prevention committee recommended a prevention-oriented waste composition study, which was included in the SWMP. DOS has issued a massive RFP to undertake this and other important research we have long recommended.
o MCSWAB inspired the creation of the DOS position of Director of Waste Prevention, and supporting staff for the position.
o MCSWAB has provided critical input into the City's procurement debate, introducing novel concepts on buying products and packaging which are more reusable, durable, and recyclable, less toxic and more energy-conservative, and having extended warranties and more recycled content.
The foregoing list makes clear how vital MCSWAB's contributions are to the ongoing process of reducing and recycling NYC's waste and to monitoring and shaping how the City implements its long-range plan.