Integrated waste management planning and decision-making in New York city

Years of citizen furore finally caused the City and State of New York (USA) to agree recently to a legislated closure of the enormous Fresh Kills landfill site by the year 2001. This landfill currently handles 80% of the City's non-commercial discards, but the closure decision was made without any prior waste management planning to accommodate the need for alternative waste management treatment and disposal routes. This paper describes the planning process that ensued after the decision was made to close Fresh Kills, including the Borough and City-wide Fresh Kills Closure Task Force reports written since the legislation was enacted, plus the Administration's Solid Waste Management Plan issued in April 1998. Recommendations from the Manhattan Solid Waste Management Task Force are also described. The paper illuminates the continuing and often tense debate between six Citizens' Solid Waste Advisory Boards, the City Council, and the City Administration to determine whether and how to expand reduction, recycling and composting, or to export 80% of its residential and institutional waste streams to other neighbouring states for ultimate disposal.