Follow-Up: RIOC's Recycling Compliance

As I reported last Friday, State Comptroller DiNapoli’s office issued a report regarding its audit of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation and its compliance with the State's recycling requirements.

Empire State News, summarized the reports findings: "[RIOC] was generally in compliance with these requirements. However, because the corporation had yet to begin compiling data on certain recycling activities, auditors found it was unlikely the corporation would be able to comply with certain new reporting requirements." That summarization may have been inaccurate.

I received the following statement today from Sylvia Giralde, RIOC’s Compliance Officer stating that:

“we [RIOC] are still awaiting reporting requirements from the Interagency Committee on Sustainability and Green Procurement, which was established to set forth such requirements.”

My earlier post characterized RIOC’s compliance as lacking per the blog post title. Ms. Giralde’s statement makes it clear that RIOC is still awaiting additional reporting requirements and that before such requirements are communicated to RIOC it would be unfair to characterize its compliance or ability to be in compliance.

My apologies to Ms. Giralde for not requesting, prior to my earlier post, for her feedback to the State report and to the Empire State News summary of the report

RIOC Audited for Recycling Compliance: Passes but Reporting Lacking

According to a report issued by State Comptroller DiNapoli , the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation was audited for compliance with the State's recycling requirements. According to Empire State News, RIOC "was generally in compliance with these requirements. However, because the corporation had yet to begin compiling data on certain recycling activities, auditors found it was unlikely the corporation would be able to comply with certain new reporting requirements."

Recycling This Saturday at Lighthouse Park

This Saturday at the entrance to Roosevelt Island's Lighthouse Park will be a recycling event co-sponsored by Good Will and the Council for the Environment of NYC.

Thank you to Senator Serrano's office for getting the word out!

A Greener RIOC: Introducing the BigBelly

UPDATED 12 Noon

Starting today, July 3, 2008 the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation begins a new eco-friendly initiative with its introduction of the BigBelly outside the local subway train station. The main BigBelly unit is apparently solar powered and can compact trash at a capacity of 4x-5x that of a normal trash receptacle. The recycler does not compact the botles and cans deposited.

The unit installed today (see top picture provided by Dick Lutz of the Main Street WIRE) is a demo unit and if successful would be replaced by the newer units pictured in the picture immediately above the text. A second unit was also received which will be installed at Southpoint to help with the garbage collection during this year's Fourth of July festivities.

According to Sylvia Giralde, RIOC’s Compliance Officer, the “initiative is not meant to replace the recycling bins in the residential buildings but as an addition to the Island for visitors, commuters, and residents walking about the Island.” The pilot program, which includes installing the dual trash compactor and recycler, is according to Ms. Giralde, “just one of the eco-friendly initiatives RIOC is undertaking”.

In announcing the program Ms. Giralde continued by stating that “This initiative reduces the amount of trash collection frequency, which in turn reduces emissions of pollutants into the air, lowers cost all around, and provides for a 'greener' island.”

According to Dick Lutz the units cost $4000 a piece. No confirmation as of yet from Ms. Giralde on that amount. Residents may recall that RIOC spent a reported $80,000 on 40 specially designed "tram themed" trash receptacles that are currently placed across the island. The BigBelly unit would appear to contribute to its cost by reducing the number of trash pick-up required per unit.

For disclosure purposes I added the RIOC logos and Big Belly Text to the newer BigBelly units pictured above. For more info about the units I believe you can link HERE to the manufacturer’s website. According to the technician that installed the demo model the units need about 2 hours of sunlight per day to operate.

According to the website such units are currently installed in Queens within the Steinway Street and Jamaica Center Business Improvement Districts. Testimonials and case study information can be found HERE.