Solid Waste Management (SWM) Planning

New York State Solid Waste Management Plan: Building the Circular Economy Through Sustainable Materials Management (2023 - 2032)

To protect communities and mitigate the effects of climate change, the New York State Solid Waste Management Plan (Plan) builds upon sustained efforts to reduce waste and advance the state's transition to a circular economy, helping to change New Yorkers' understanding of waste and their relationship to it. The Plan intends to guide actions over the next decade, from the beginning of 2023 to the end of 2032, and builds upon the State's 2010 Beyond Waste Plan.

The Plan sets forth six major Focus Areas with goals and action items to move the circular economy and materials management industry forward in New York State:

• Waste Reduction and Reuse
• Recycling and Recycling Market Development and Resiliency
• Product Stewardship and Extended Producer Responsibility
• Organics Reduction and Recycling
• Toxics Reductions in Products
• Advanced Design and Operation of Solid Waste Management Facilities and Related Activities

Learn more about the New York State Solid Waste Management Plan.

Involvement of the Local Government

Planning units are recognized organizational-structures that are responsible for developing and implementing a successful Local Solid Waste Management Plan (LSWMP) for the communities of the State. Planning units are critical contributors to achieving the State's goals.

Planning units are any of the following:

• A county
• Two or more counties acting jointly
• A local government agency or authority established for the purpose of managing solid waste
• Two or more cities, towns, or villages or any combination of them, or
• A combination of any of the above that the DEC determines is capable of implementing a regional integrated solid waste management program for those cities, towns or villages.

Currently, there are 69 recognized planning units in the state.

For more information about planning units, refer to 6 NYCRR Part 360.2(b)(164).

Municipalities Non-Affiliated to a Planning Unit

There are 41 municipalities that are not affiliated with a recognized planning unit for solid waste management planning purposes. Non-affiliated municipalities are critical stakeholders to achieving the State's goals and are responsible to developing and implementing a Comprehensive Recycling Analysis to ensure a long-term recyclables recovery program that maximizes the recovery of recyclables and reduces the amount of waste managed through disposal.

For more information about comprehensive recycling analysis, refer to 6 NYCRR Part 360.11.