As of Today, First NYC Commercial Waste Zone Fully Implemented
January 2, 2025
Queens Central (Jackson Heights, Corona, Elmhurst, Parts of Forest Hills and Ridgewood) Now Fully Governed by New Rules Set Forth in Local Law 199 of 2019
The New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) announced today that, following an extensive outreach and education period, the first New York City Commercial Waste Zone is now fully operational. While the Department of Sanitation collects trash, recycling, and compostable material from residents, businesses are required to hire private carters to collect their waste. Historically, this has been an inefficient, hazardous system with private carters driving lengthy routes all over the City.
Local Law 199 of 2019 was designed to reform this system, by establishing new safety standards for workers in the commercial carting industry, improving service for businesses, increasing diversion rates, and reducing vehicle miles traveled to reduce harmful emissions from waste hauling vehicles. Under this new system, the City is divided into 20 "Commercial Waste Zones," and DSNY authorizes three carters to operate in a given zone. In addition to three carters per zone, there are also five carters authorized to pick up large containers from loading docks or large off-street compactors citywide.
In order to implement the first zone, Queens Central (Jackson Heights, Corona, Elmhurst, and parts of Forest Hills and Ridgewood), DSNY engaged in thousands of contacts with local businesses and sent mailers in multiple languages. All businesses have had the opportunity to sign contracts with the new authorized carters, and a majority have done so; the remaining businesses have been assigned a carter by DSNY, but are able to renegotiate price and service level if needed, or may sign on with a different carter in the zone. In order to ensure that no commercial trash is left on the street, DSNY recently amended the CWZ rules to allow greater flexibility in the amount of service carters provide to businesses that did not actively sign a contract.
The implementation of this first zone gives DSNY substantial new regulatory authority over commercial waste, but some new enforcement authority began with the start of the first implementation period in September 2024 – and the Strongest have not waited to act. In the last three months, DSNY has issued approximately 150 notices of violation to commercial waste haulers in Queens Central, with a goal of a cleaner, safer City.
A great deal of additional information about the regulatory and environmental benefits of the CWZ program is available in this prior press release, and more information about the program – including details on how this program can save businesses money – is available at nyc.gov/commercialwaste.