Press Release: NYC Waste Hauling Reform Faces Delays Amid Rising Safety Concerns
As New York City takes steps to reform its private waste hauling industry, a recent report reveals alarming statistics regarding pedestrian and worker safety. The city council passed a law in 2019 mandating a zone system to streamline waste collection routes, but the implementation has lagged. Currently, only one of the intended twenty zones is expected to launch in the coming months.
The report, published by the advocacy group Transform Don’t Trash NYC, highlights the grim consequence of this stagnation: 103 injuries and three fatalities related to companies involved in the new zones from June 2022 to June 2024. The report notes that prolonged, fatiguing routes aggravate safety risks for both drivers and the public, as observed by Justin Wood from New York Lawyers for the Public Interest.
Among the tragedies noted is the recent death of a 35-year-old man in the West Village, struck by a commercial waste truck reversing on a one-way street. The truck, owned by Liberty Ashes, is one of the companies selected for waste collection in Southeast Queens; however, no arrests have been made in this case.
The only confirmed zone set to operate is in Central Queens, with hopes for a January rollout. The sanitation department has come under fire for awarding contracts to companies with questionable safety records. Spokesperson Vincent Gragnani stated that a comprehensive timeline for the full rollout will be released once the Queens zone is operational, emphasizing that the reform is designed to enhance oversight and worker protections while reducing emissions–projecting a decrease of 12 million miles driven by trash trucks annually.
This overhaul is expected to transform an industry marked by inefficiency and corruption, as it faces growing scrutiny and calls for accountability.
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Photo credit gothamist.com
