(Credit: Pixabay)The implementation of New York City’s long-awaited private waste regulatory system has been tabled due to the rapid spread of covid-19 throughout the region.
The waste program was developed to improve recycling, safety, and labor standards among the city’s businesses and the waste industry itself. However, Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia stated Friday that her agency is pushing back its timeline at least one month because of the pandemic.
Like restaurants, bars and businesses throughout the country, private waste haulers have been hit hard financially in recent weeks. As Politico reports, “The change has led to a precipitous drop in commercial trash, putting a strain on haulers who have seen their clients suspend service.”
The news outlet published statements from Commissioner Garcia, which stated: "The ripple effects through our economy have not spared the private carting industry, which now faces financial and operational disruptions due to the temporary closure of many of their customers,” she said, adding “we will provide another update in April, once we have a better understanding of the implications of this crisis on our city and on this industry."
Despite the delay, Garcia noted that the City of New York Department of Sanitation remains committed to implementing commercial waste zones and carrying out Local Law 199.
