Here is everything you need to know about how New York’s Executive Order 22 affects waste management and how affected entities can meet EO 22 goals.
What is New York’s Executive Order 22 (EO 22)?
In 2022, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed Executive Order 22: Leading by Example: Directing State Agencies to Adopt a Sustainability and Decarbonization Program.
EO 22 is part of New York State’s continuing commitment to sustainability. The order requires state entities to implement comprehensive sustainability plans across energy use, transportation, procurement, and crucially, waste management.
The order is administered by the GreenNY Council.
Which State Agencies and Authorities are Affected by EO 22?
Executive Order 22 covers 75 state entities from the CUNY (City University of New York) and SUNY (State University of New York) systems to the MTA (Metropolitan Transportation Authority), the Javits Convention Center, the Parks Conservancy, the Departments of Health, State, Public Service and more. Read the order to see a full list of state agencies and authorities affected.
What is Required to Meet the EO 22 Waste Diversion Mandate?
- State agencies and authorities should work with their agency sustainability coordinator to submit a five-year Waste Diversion Plan using the official GreenNY template that will include baseline data and measurable targets for waste diversion. This plan must be filed within one year of receiving the waste diversion plan template.
- Submit progress reports every year.
What are the Waste-related Goals of EO 22?
- Affected entities to reduce waste disposal by 10 percent every five years until reaching a goal of 75 percent below the 2018-19 fiscal year baseline, using a combination of strategies to divert materials from landfills, increase recycling, and enhance composting and other reuse of organic materials.
- Safely eliminate the use of single-use plastics in state operations.
- The Waste Diversion Plan will lay out exact steps to reach Executive Order 22’s waste diversion goals and must include the following:
- Schedule for conducting routine waste audits to assess current waste diversion performance and opportunities for improvement.
- Clearly defined metrics to track progress and understand how much waste needs to be reduced in the next five years.
- Annual and long-term waste reduction goals that address recycled materials, compostable materials, organic waste and specialty waste, and identify all instances where single-use plastics can be eliminated safely.
- Strategies that support Zero Waste and sustainable materials management.
- An analysis of the possibility of transitioning to dual stream recycling in 2025.
How Great Forest Can Help You Meet EO 22 Goals
With over 30 years of experience delivering waste management solutions, Great Forest has helped businesses and institutions nationwide develop and implement successful waste diversion strategies. We have worked with affected entities to meet Executive Order 22 goals and can provide the same support to your organization.
1. Waste Audits and Baseline Evaluations
Regular waste audits and assessments lie at the heart of the EO 22 mandate for waste diversion. Great Forest is the industry leader in waste audits and data analysis. We conducted the world’s largest commercial waste study and our data informs the EPA’s conversion standard.
- Get the accurate data you need to understand your waste footprint, set achievable waste reduction targets and track progress. Our comprehensive waste audits assess how much material is being generated, discarded and diverted from landfill and incineration. They identify recycling contamination, inefficiencies, and missed diversion opportunities, forming the critical foundation of your waste diversion plan.
- Ask for a Waste Infrastructure Scorecard, which evaluates your entire waste collection system and lets you know if your program is being effectively implemented, maintained and optimized. Your scorecard will provide simple and clear steps to improve your waste collection program and make an impact.
2. Metrics and Reporting
Great Forest equips you with the tools to track waste diversion performance over time. We help translate waste audit findings into measurable key performance indicators aligned with GreenNY’s framework. Our customized dashboards and reporting templates make it easy to monitor progress and demonstrate adherence with EO 22 goals.
3. Customized Diversion Strategy and Implementation Support
Great Forest waste experts will work with your team to develop your customized waste diversion plan and strategy that aligns with your operational needs, sustainability goals, and the requirements outlined in the GreenNY Waste Diversion template. We will identify both easy fixes as well as longer-term solutions with a focus on the most impactful changes.
Our team will then support you in rolling out these initiatives agency-wide, providing staff education, training materials, signage, and other forms of ongoing support to ensure success.
Why Meeting EO 22 Goals Matters
Executive Order 22 is not just about regulatory compliance and advancing New York State’s goals for climate leadership, it is also about improving your state agency and authority’s performance and reducing waste and costs. Waste diversion plays a crucial role in effective operations. By partnering with Great Forest, your organization can:
- Ensure you are meeting EO 22’s waste requirement goals.
- Reduce operational costs through more efficient waste management.
- Contribute to New York’s transition to a more sustainable and circular economy
- Become a leader in your sector.
Ready to Reduce Waste?
Contact us to get help meeting or aligning with EO 22 waste diversion goals.