Marine Transfer Station
I am a resident of the Gracie Point and Yorkville neighborhoods and a member of both Asphalt Green and Sane Trash Solutions. I have benefited personally from the parks where the City intends to build the Marine Transfer Station, losing over 40 pounds by running along the East River Esplanade and through regular exercise as a member of the Asphalt Green Triathlon Team so that I am no longer clinically overweight. Asphalt Green provides a healthy and safe recreation for the youth and adults in New York City, even producing Olympians. A residential neighborhood, let alone a fitness center and children's play field is no place for a garbage dump.
Councilman Ben Kallos said he has written a letter to DSNY Commissioner Kathryn Garcia requesting more information about the plan.
“The big concern that many constituents have is whether or not commercial carters as part of a franchising system would be required to dump in the neighborhoods that they pick up, or whether they might use this marine transfer station to force all the private carters who have franchises for Manhattan to dump on the Upper East Side,” Kallos said.
“Over the next few years, however, as the remaining stations begin to operate, the city’s per-ton waste export costs will likely continue to be higher than the existing short-term contracts they replace.”
The IBO findings distressed one city official.
“New York City is just throwing money in the trash by building marine transfer stations,” said City Councilman Ben Kallos (D-Manhattan).
But Sanitation Department spokesman Vito Turso said the waste transfer stations and other city investments in rail and barge-based waste export “take trucks off the road, improving air quality and slashing greenhouse gas emissions.”
Bill would Increase City’s Waste Diversion and Recycling Rates
New York, NY – In order to support the City’s Zero Waste goal by 2030 and improve the city’s dismal recycling rate, legislation introduced by Council Member Kallos would require source separation to be available in any place of public accommodation with bins for trash, recycling, and compost. Additional legislation would require New York City reach its goal of Zero Waste - diverting all waste from landfills — by 2030, regardless of the next Mayor. Both bills will be introduced on April 25th at the City Council's stated meeting.
“The city has set a goal of Zero Waste by 2030 without an Executive Order or a plan to get there. Now that the city has set a goal, it is time to put into the law. The city should be looking for ways to reduce waste we send to landfills instead of wasting hundreds of millions building marine transfer-to-landfill stations,” said Council Member Ben Kallos, who represents a Marine Transfer Station currently under construction on the border of East Harlem. “Recycling should be a habit. New Yorkers should be able to recycle whether they are home, at work, in a park, or catching a quick bite to eat. Recycling by places that offer public accommodation can and must be better.”
