The Center for Zero Waste Design hosted a panel to discuss DSNY’s new regulations and their impacts on NYC’s sidewalks and streetscapes. We were joined by public space advocates, urban designers, policymakers, and building managers to discuss DSNY’s approach and CfZWD’s proposed alternatives.
Since the release of the Zero Waste Design Guidelines in 2017, the AIANY Committee on the Environment (COTE) has advocated for and collaborated with the Department of Sanitation (DSNY) on waste containerization as a strategy to eliminate the blight of garbage bags on city sidewalks. The 2021 Put Waste To Work campaign with WXY called on the incoming Adams administration to adopt a holistic approach to solving NYC’s immense waste problems. DSNY's current containerization plans are mandated for commercial waste as well as residential waste from 1–9 unit buildings starting this fall, and will be piloted for large buildings in West Harlem in 2025. While this is encouraging, we believe additional opportunities should be explored to maximize benefits.
AIANY COTE and the Center for Zero Waste Design (CfZWD), in partnership with the Alliance for Public Space Leadership, are hosting a panel to discuss DSNY’s new regulations and their impacts on NYC’s sidewalks and streetscapes. Join us to hear public space advocates, urban designers, policymakers and building managers discuss both DSNY’s approach and the CfZWD’s proposed alternatives, outlined in its just-released containerization report. The report is the result of years of field research, gathering best practices from cities worldwide as well as analyses of New York City’s architectural and urban conditions. Learn how waste containerization can keep sidewalks clear, make better use of curb space, improve labor for building staff and waste haulers, and incentivize waste reduction.