Align, an advocacy group based in New York, is pushing for New York City to franchise its commercial waste collection services. The group maintains that commercial waste is a "highly dysfunctional and outsized private system" while arguing that a franchise system would guarantee better environmental and labor practices citywide.
Waste 360, By Allan Gerlat, October 3, 2013. An advocacy group is calling for New York City to franchise commercial waste collection in the city. Align, the Alliance for a Greater New York, said in a news release that commercial waste is collected “by a highly dysfunctional and outsized private system.”
A new report says that 90% of the trash from restaurants, office buildings and other businesses in the five boroughs could be recycled or composted. According to the Alliance for a Greater New York, the current rate is only 40%, with 2 million tons of waste buried each year in landfills. They blame the commercial waste industry and are urging the city to switch to the same kind of system they have in Los Angeles and Seattle, which involves competitive bidding by the companies that haul the trash. They also want the next mayor to set a target recycling rate for commercial properties.
Crain's, By Andrew Hawkins, October 3, 2013. An effort to transform the city's commercial waste industry is drawing criticism from trash collectors, who argue that a proposed franchise system would push out smaller businesses and raise prices for customers.
New York Daily News, By Errol Louis, October 3, 2013. Cleaning up commercial collection would help Bloomberg burnish his environmental legacy. An unlikely alliance of unions, environmental activists and neighborhood groups has presented Mayor Bloomberg with a golden opportunity to add a final flourish to his impressive, decade-long effort to make New York greener and cleaner.
NTDTV, By Gao Mingdae, October 3, 2013. According to statistics, New York City, an annual production of 6.5 million tons garbage. Government efforts to recycle waste, to reduce household waste. But here nearly half of commercial waste . How to solve this problem?
A new coalition of labor, environmental justice, community and other advocates convened on the steps of City Hall to launch a new campaign to tackle the problems in the commercial solid waste industry. This is the first time that such a broad-based coalition has united around recommendations to improve commercial solid waste management in New York City.
NY1 News, October 2, 2013. The Alliance for a Greater New York kicks offs a new campaign aimed at getting city businesses to recycle more. The launch of "Transform, Don't Trash NYC" coincides with the release of a new report highlighting inefficiencies in the city's waste management system.
Metro, By Anna Sanders, October 2, 2013. The trash talk continues at City Hall. A coalition of community activists, politicians and labor unions challenged the next administration to tackle the commercial waste industry, saying Wednesday that reform would both help the environment and create jobs.
Epoch Times, By Kristina Skorbach, October 2, 2013, NEW YORK—A coalition of environmental, labor, and other advocates called on the city administration to reform the way commercial waste is managed. The Alliance for a Greater New York (ALIGN) released a report that details problems with New York City’s commercial waste management approach.