In support of New York City’s Local Solid Waste Management Plan (LSWMP) update, VHB is working with Inch and Meter. P.C. and the NYC Department of Sanitation (DSNY) to evaluate current waste infrastructure and forecast future needs in compliance with New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) requirements.
A critical component of the project—the Current Conditions Assessment (CCA)—documents the city’s existing solid waste systems, facility capacity, and waste generation trends. Together with Inch and Meter, VHB compiled and analyzed seven years of data across municipal and private waste streams, including municipal solid waste, construction and demolition debris, biosolids, and hazardous waste.
VHB led the project’s data and technology strategy, developing an interactive GIS application to visualize facility data across waste management zones. The team also created an innovative “waste source-and-destination flow” model using Power BI, allowing DSNY to explore public and private waste pathways through a dynamic dashboard. This new level of visibility supports more informed decision-making and long-term waste diversion planning.
While Phase 1 focused on building the foundation—evaluating current systems and launching the interactive dashboards—Phase 2, now underway, will complete the SWMP update and integrate additional data into the tools built in Phase 1. This work positions DSNY to advance toward a more resilient, data-informed, and sustainable waste management future.
