Trash Talking with NYC Council Members

Council Member Letitia James, Chair of the Committee on Sanitation and Solid Waste Management, led a delegation - representing the offices of CM Leroy Comrie and CM Michael Nelson, as well as Council Analysts from the Finance & Policy Division and the Sanitation Committee - on a fact finding mission,to Build It Green! NYC on September 27th. Their task was to study and plan for meeting PlaNYC's goal to divert 75% of waste from the landfills.

Their visit began with a tour of our Astoria reuse center. "On the surface we look like a store, but in fact we do much more" explained Justin Green, Founder of BIG!NYC. "Our organization measures success based on its triple bottom line: environmental mission (removal of building materials from the waste stream and Queens composting), social mission (support for green collar training programs and materials donation community grants via the BIG!NYC Gives Back program), and financial sustainability (social enterprise via resale of reusable materials)." 

After wandering through aisles of salvaged doors, windows, plumbing fixtures, and theater flats, the delegation convened in the BIG!NYC office to learn about findings from BIG!NYC's policy paper (click here to read it!) on how municipalities around the country implement policies mandating the reduction of construction and demolition waste. A lively discussion ensued, and BIG!NYC pledged to work with the Committee as it forges ahead drafting its recommendations for new legislation affecting policy change.