Private trash haulers continue to kill and injure New Yorkers as long-awaited reforms fall short

New York City's private trash industry is wreaking just as much deadly havoc on its streets as it did five years ago, when lawmakers passed still-unimplemented reforms for the chaotic sector, according to a new report.

The number of accidents per garbage truck is the same today as it was in 2018, while the number of injuries and deaths caused by collisions with private garbage trucks remains at levels before authorities reached an agreement in 2019 that Industry to be divided into 20 commercial waste zones Transform Don't Trash Coalition formed by safe streets advocates, unions and environmentalists.

Lawmakers passed the five-year-old reforms to reduce vehicle miles driven by the then-anarchic industry, whose roughly 90 companies routinely killed New Yorkers as they crisscrossed the city each night to collect trash from a hodgepodge of scattered commercial establishments . The reforms empowered the city to select haulers and assign them to specific zones where they would collect trash. However, they have taken years to come to fruition – with only one zone currently in effect and no timetable for citywide implementation.

Despite the delays, companies selected for the zones have been involved in 61 serious accidents over the past two years, injuring 103 people – about one per week – and killing three others, according to data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Collision rates per truck are the same this year as they were in 2018, when a comprehensive investigation by ProPublica detailed the dangers in the private carting business.

Delays in reform efforts could have deadly consequences, said a road safety advocate who lost a leg in 2017 after a 14-ton truck hit and swept her while crossing the street in Manhattan.

“The private plumbing system continues to pose a threat to the safety of New Yorkers,” said Lauren Pine, a member of Families for Safe Streets. “We can’t wait to enforce truck safety requirements so no one has to suffer like I did.”

The reforms have been delayed under Mayor Adams, who has only launched the program in one zone in central Queens. The rollout began there on September 3rd and will continue until January 2nd. The Sanitation Department has not yet released a schedule for the remaining 19 zones; According to a spokesman, the agency wants to wait and see how the first area works.

But advocates said city sanitation officials also didn't provide enough details about how they would assess the success of the first zone, and the original legislature urged officials to stick with the law's intent to roll it out citywide, otherwise they risk losing road safety benefits.

“When done right, CWZs can save millions of truck miles on our roads, keep workers and pedestrians safe, and ensure high-quality service for all customers. The city's goal now should be to prevent poor implementation from undermining a good bill,” said Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, who championed the law on the City Council.

The city announced its zone honorees earlier this year, which included companies that killed New Yorkers in accidents. Heavy truck fatalities continued as recently as May, when a garbage truck driver backed up in the West Village and killed a pedestrian.

Sanitation Department leaders have argued that they need to take their time implementing the changes to avoid raising prices for companies to collect their waste, recyclables and organics — even as the industry continues its outdated and deadly practices.

A Sanitation spokesman defended the agency's rollout.

“This was a thoughtful, thorough process that will reduce emissions, strengthen oversight and improve the protection and safety of workers across the industry,” Vincent Gragnani said in a statement. “We are in the process of implementing this reform in Queens Central and the schedule for the remaining zones will be announced based on the implementation of the first zone.”