Change Coming to the Way New York City Collects its Trash

David Giambusso reports that New York City will "begin implementing a 'zoned-collection' system for the city's private carting industry…" According to Giambusso, the change represents "an historic change in how commercial waste is collected and managed in New York City."

In a report that's scheduled to be released Wednesday, the de Blasio administration will argue a zoned-collection system, known elsewhere as 'franchising,' will dramatically reduce vehicle emissions while also giving the city much greater regulatory authority over an industry critics have likened to the wild west.

The New York State Department of Sanitation collects all residential waste in the city, but private contractors collect waste from "virtually all of the waste collected from businesses, both large and small," explains Giambusso. The private trash collectors are heavily criticized by labor and environmental groups, however, leading to the de Blasio Administration's actions.

Zone collection essentially means the city will be divided into zones and contractors will be allowed to bid on specific sectors. Now, a single city block can be serviced by more than a dozen different companies, leading to inefficient routes, excessive pollution and traffic.

The report expects that efficiencies gained from a zoned system will also drive down trash collection prices.

It could take "two years for the city to develop a plan and another three years or more to implement it," reports Giambusso, and "the City Council will have to pass legislation to codify the changes."