Achieving Zero Waste on Long Island

Zero waste as a philosophy uses a whole system approach to the flow of resources, with the goal of eliminating waste production to the maximum extent feasible and reducing the costs associated with waste management.

Zero Waste is a lofty goal, but with large-scale community and industry effort, education, and the use of new technologies, we can get as close to this ideal as possible in a reasonable amount of time. The goal is to achieve as high a target as possible.

This includes waste reduction, creation of new markets for recyclables and other materials, and government support for various new waste treatment and waste-to-energy technologies.

Photo: The Brookhaven Landfill which is scheduled to close at the end of 2024.

Achieving Zero Waste encourages steps to ensure that all kinds of waste are neither burned nor placed in landfills but rather, can be returned:

1. to the soil, such as food waste, yard waste and other organic material;

2. into the economy, such as reuse of used household goods, building materials, clothing and furniture in good condition;

3. to recyclers who produce other new products from materials like paper, textiles, glass, metal, certain types plastics;

4. to the manufacturers to make needed repairs to or use recycled material as a raw material in the production of goods and packaging.

5. to entrepreneurs, crafts-persons, artists, and innovative companies to create new products or something of value to others.

Source: https://mauritskorse.nl/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Zerowaste-hierarchy-768x596.png

Zero Waste is more than just waste prevention. Zero Waste has a strong focus on removing from the marketplace any products and packaging that cannot be reused, recycled, or composted. Zero waste also focuses on making sure society has the physical infrastructure of waste collection and processing, as well as the social infrastructure (training, education, regulation and enforcement) to properly manage waste.

Each year, Long Islanders throw away almost 2.6 million tons of municipal solid waste each year.

• 5.02 pounds per person per day.*

• 2,833,526 approx. population on Long Island

• = 14,224,300 pounds per day

• 365 days per year

• 5,191,869,689 pounds per year

• 2,595,934 tons per year

Source: NYS-DEC 2023 Solid Waste Plan and US Census Bureau.

* 5.02 lbs per person per day calculation; From Page 15 of the New York State Solid Waste Management Plan:
> MSW Generation The MSW generated prior to recycling was 17.9 million tons in 2018. As noted previously, MSW comprises all waste generated by residents, whether in single-family or multi-family residences; commercial establishments, including all offices, stores, shops, restaurants, or businesses of any nature; and waste generated by institutions, including any schools, government buildings, prisons, nursing homes, hospitals, or other similar facilities.
> Calculation/Math
> · New York State’s population in 2018 was 19,540,000 (Source: United States Census Bureau)
> · 17,900,000 million tons of waste generated in 2018 (Source: Page 15, NY State Solid Waste Plan)
> · 17,900,000 tons per year X 2,000 pounds per ton is 35,800,000,000 pounds per year
> · 35,800,000,000 pounds per year / 19,540,000 people is 1,832 pounds per person, per year.
> · 1,832 pounds per person, per year / 365 days, per year is 5.02 pounds per person per day

In addition to the 2.95 million tons of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW), there is also Construction and Demolition Waste (C&D), Medical Waste, Special Waste, ash from burning waste, hazardous waste, sludge from wastewater treatment plants, food waste and more.

Long Island has “traditional” recycling efforts, but much more needs to be done. Long Island also has four waste-to-energy plants where waste is burned, but concerns exist over toxic air pollution emitted from these incinerators and the disposal of toxic ash that still needs to be buried.

Adopting a Zero Waste approach is needed in which everyone at every level can contribute to this effort--at home, at work, in the community and in our government.

First, we need to better consumers and stop producing so much waste. Generators (you, and me, government, businesses, institutions, restaurants, stores, etc...) must take action to eliminate waste while promoting reuse and recycling. We need responsible production, consumption, reuse and recovery of all products, packaging and materials, without burning them, and without discharges to land, water, or air that threaten the environment or public health.

Refuse and Reduce are the earliest behaviors in the chain of consumption and which have the highest impact on waste. overall. Recycling bottles, cans, paper and food scraps are all necessary as part of Closing the Loop and every sector (Residential, Industrial, Commercial, Institutional and Government) all play critical parts in every effort. We are looking to the Waste Managers of every Local Planning Unit to bring their experience, knowledge and ideas to the table to make a Zero Waste initiative possible.

1. Perform a waste audit.

2. Seek out and use biodegradable materials in all product packaging.

3. Do not use Styrofoam packing peanuts; use alternatives made from starch, recycle paper, or other biodegradable or recyclable material.

4. Properly recycle all cardboard boxes, paper, cans, bottles, etc...

5. Manufacturers should produce products that are recyclable or biodegradable.

6. Use recycled materials in producing products.

7. Eliminate paper billing/invoicing.

8. Restaurants can divert food scraps and have them composted or sent to an anaerobic digester.

9. Train staff on the above.

1. Create incentives to develop the infrastructure needed to achieve zero waste. For example, government should develop needed infrastructure and outlets for organics and food waste. Rather than being landfilled or burned, organic waste including food waste, leaves, trees/wood, farm waste, food and animal waste can provide useful recycled products when managed properly. Long Island has extremely limited outlets available for the management of these materials.

2. Pass smart legislation and create good laws to “Close the loop.” The creation of a State law that mandates that any unit of government, which establishes a waste diversion goal, must also establish a utilization policy that matches or exceeds the diversion goal. Such a law will properly balance diversion and markets for recycled materials.

3. Government should pass legislation to fix the Bottle Deposit Law. Specifically this old law needs to be revised and updated to improve and increase recycling within the State. The bottle bill was implemented many years ago, initially as an anti-litter bill, and the basic system has not been altered since the development of the larger-scale consumer recycling systems. The fix is simple. Increase the deposit for all glass containers to $0.10 and include the deposit program on wine and spirit glass bottles.

4. Educate - Renew educational efforts with a goal of creating a consistent message for improving the quantity and quality of the curbside recyclables that flow to recycling processing facilities. The public and private sectors need to educate all generators (commercial and residential) about recycling to reduce contamination in the recycling stream.
   Information that should be a part of educational efforts includes a universal list of materials acceptable for recycling, and a “do’s and don’ts” list for recycling.

5. Set zero waste targets and timelines.

6. Place a ban or fee on single use plastic items such as plastic cutlery and plastic bags being distributed by businesses.

7. Ban Styrofoam and other plastics for which there is not an established reuse and recycling program. Require that straws in restaurants be provided only upon request.

8. Give the Nassau County and Suffolk County government the authority to ban other types of non-recyclable plastic (e.g. plastics #3, 6,7) in the future.

9. Establish a Refuse Separation Compliance Ordinance, with fines for non-compliance.

10. Require that organics such as food scraps and yard waste are composted first (composting taking priority) or, second, sent to a digester or other facility for recycling. Set fines for including organics in the waste stream going to landfill/incinerators.

11. Host training programs educating residents how to compost. Establish a program to offer low cost or free compost bins to residents.

12. Establish a regulatory program that allows for the siting, permitting and construction of large scale composting operations for food waste.

13. The federal government should require large packaging/bottling companies to use a certain amount of recycled materials in their products to create a market for recycled goods.

14. Provide wide scale public education campaigns on proper recycling, and why achieving zero waste is important.

15. Explore a residential Pay As You Throw (PAYT) program. Change to a system in which residents pay per unit of trash collected

16. Require recycling bins at all public facilities and events, with appropriate signage.

17. Eliminate recycling exemptions of multi- family properties. Require compliance as part of leases of commercial office space.

• Don’t put your produce in plastic bags.

• Refuse single-use plastic items. Carry reusable utensils, straws, coffee holders, and water bottles. If you order carryout food, make sure you tell them to “hold the plastics.”

• Compost your food scraps, coffee grounds, egg shells and plant matter.

• Don’t bag grass clippings. Mulch them with your mower at its highest setting and let the clippings regenerate the soil.

• Use compost for your garden and landscape! To improve the health of the soil!

• Avoid wasting food.

• Buy only what you need and organize your refrigerator to use the oldest produce first.

• Donate unwanted items (clothing, housewares) in good condition and cut back on unnecessary purchases.

• Host a Repair Cafe in your community.

The cost of waste management on Long Island is significant, and based on current trends will continue to be high. Costs can be reduced through established waste management techniques, some of which are already in use on the Island. However, a long term consistently applied strategy to consolidate the approach is needed.

Long Island is at a crossroads about the management of society's waste. Achieving zero waste on Long Island is an important and achievable goal.

Successfully implementing a Zero Waste initiative will require cooperation and coordination between the private sector, municipal government, State government, regulators, waste generators, legislators, planners and policy makers. 

Change is not always easy but creating the shift in our habits to achieve a vibrant economy for small-, medium- and large-scale businesses for Long Island will be worth it.