NYC’s Commercial Waste Zones Act (2019) will establish one designated waste hauler per city zone, which should incentivize private waste haulers and commercial businesses to sharply reduce the amount of waste they landfill, curtailing a major source of climate emissions. Prior to the Act, less than 25% of NYC’s commercial waste was recycled or composted, while cities with strong CWZ programs have seen commercial recycling rates up to 65%.
Reports indicate that, in addition to eliminating approximately 18 million diesel truck miles per year, a high-diversion CWZ system can avoid 2 million tons of GHG emissions per year – equivalent to removing one in five passenger cars from New York City streets.