BY WILLIE VELAZQUEZ
Resident of southeast
Queens held a town hall on
Tuesday, Aug. 24, at Liberty
Park to discuss further actions
to enforce local law 152,
the Waste Equity Law. This
law was introduced due to
three communities handling
an overwhelming 75 percent
of New York City’s waste.
The law requires the
Department of Sanitation
(DSNY) to reduce permitted
capacity of waste in communities
that are deemed
as “overburdened,” which
include Queens’ Community
District 12 — encompassing
Jamaica, Hollis, St. Albans,
Springfield Gardens, Baisley
Park, Rochdale Village and
south Jamaica.
“Even worst is the stuff
that you can’t smell,” said
Oster Bryan, president of St.
Albans Civic Improvement
Association. “The particulate
matter and the effects it has
on the people and children
who play in the park, right
across the street.”
Bryan said other transfer
stations in the city have more
care to make sure the waste
doesn’t impact the surrounding
communities, some of
which are in less-populated
industrial areas.
“People live right across
the street from here and this
place isn’t enclosed,” Bryan
said. “People have been requesting
for quite some time
that they enclose the location
and put things into effect so
we don’t smell this or have to
inhale the particulate matter
that has cognitive effects on
children, such as asthma and
cancer.”
The main point of discussion
of the town hall were the
next steps in regard to recording
any activity in violation of
the law.
“I can’t open my windows.
TIMESLEDGER | Q 4 NS.COM | SEPT. 3 - SEPT. 9, 2021
I can’t breathe. If I want to
take my children to the park
I have to take them to St. Albans
Park,” said Carol Fords,
a concerned member of the
community. “Its not fair. People
wait at the bus stop and get
the smell on them. The smell
is so bad it comes through the
walls. I haven’t opened my
windows in years. The trees
are dying; they can’t handle
the smell either.”
“You buy into community
because of convenience, public
open space, public transportation
— and this is what
we get,” said Crystal Urban, a
local homeowner.
Residents were urged to
call 311, even if it is anonymously,
and complain about
the private solid waste transfer
stations on Douglas Avenue
— especially if they are
experiencing any conditions
such as odorous air contaminants
emissions (which violate
NYC Code 24-141), dust
Community members listen during the town hall about waste at
Liberty Park on Aug. 24. Photo by Willie Velazquez
conditions, water or sewer
run-off, litter adjacent to
property and more.
A script was even provided
to help steer their complaints
into a more effective
direction. Approximately 55
18-wheelers travel through
the neighborhoods carrying
16 tons of waste daily, with
no end in sight, according to
community leaders.
Community members
also have a petition against
a waste bill — Intro 2349-A —
that was introduced by local
Councilman I. Daneek Miller,
which they argue won’t benefit
the community.
“This Int. 2349-A only
benefits the waste transfer
organizations and the elected
official that gets funding
from these organizations, at
the expense of the district
they represent,” the petition
reads. “There is no waste equity
in NYC. It is community
abuse and neglect in disadvantaged
areas. This is why
we have to get environmental
lawyers to help us — our
elected officials won’t and
don’t support us.”
Southeast Queens leaders discuss
enforcement of Waste Equity Law
during Liberty Park town hall
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