The People’s Solid Waste Management Plan (People’s SWMP) is a 2025 report by the Transform Don’t Trash NYC coalition that evaluates how much progress the City has made under its 2006 waste plan–and where it has fallen short. Drawing on input from impacted community members, waste experts, and best practices from other cities, the report outlines 30 recommendations for the City’s upcoming 2026 plan. These focus on building a cleaner, more equitable system, including shifting away from truck-based waste export to rail and barge, fully implementing Commercial Waste Zones, expanding composting, and advancing toward zero waste.

The report comes at a critical moment as New York prepares to adopt a new 10-year waste plan amid growing climate and environmental justice challenges. It highlights persistent gaps in access to recycling and composting, limited public education, and ongoing inequities in how waste is handled across communities. The People’s SWMP argues that the next Mayor and City Council have a key opportunity to deliver on long-promised reforms, centering community input, reducing pollution, and aligning the City’s waste system with its climate goals.