DEC Contact: Denis Slattery (518) 402-8000 December 27, 2023
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DEC RELEASES FINAL NEW YORK STATE SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PLANPlan Guides Next Decade of State and Local Actions to Prioritize a Circular Economy to Promote Reuse, Prevent Landfilling, and Reduce Emissions that Cause Climate Change |
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New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos today announced the finalization of the 2023-2032 New York State Solid Waste Management Plan, a milestone in the State’s ongoing efforts to ensure New York is at the forefront of rethinking waste. The New York State Solid Waste Management Plan: Building the Circular Economy through Sustainable Materials Management is a 10-year plan that describes actions to reduce the climate impact of solid waste and provides direction for New York's waste reduction, reuse, recycling, collection, transportation, and disposal investments, policies, and practices over the next decade. The prior plan, Beyond Waste: A Sustainable Materials Management Strategy, was released in 2010.
Diverting waste from landfills and renewing a resilient and recycled supply chain is integral to achieving goals of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act that include reducing greenhouse gas emissions while promoting a just and equitable transition to a greener economy. The Solid Waste Management Plan sets forth six major focus areas to move the circular economy and materials management industry forward in New York State:
DEC is already taking action to support items identified in the Plan, including:
The action items and the State’s investments are designed to move New York State to an 85 percent total waste stream recycling rate by 2050. Several initiatives to advance waste reduction were also included in the State’s Climate Action Council final Scoping Plan and would require legislative changes, such as expanding the State’s food donation and food scraps recycling law, reducing packaging and paper product waste, and proposing disposal disincentives on all waste landfilled or combusted in New York. DEC recognizes the importance of partnerships in achieving the solid waste management objectives for 2032 and beyond. As part of the public process in developing the plan, DEC released a draft for public review in March 2023 along with an informational webinar and an extended public comment period. The final plan released today includes revisions and clarifications based on the DEC’s review of approximately 1,400 comments submitted by individuals, organizations, municipalities, associations, elected officials, businesses, among other stakeholders. To review DEC’s assessment of public comments received on the draft plan, visit DEC’s website: New York State Solid Waste Management Plan – NYSDEC. |
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