Planning and Conceptual Design for Conversion of New York City’s Solid Waste Facilities

Greeley and Hansen, A TYLin Company, served as lead consultant to New York City providing comprehensive planning and conceptual design services to modify the existing network of solid waste Marine Transfer Stations. 

In order to mitigate increased cost and pollution issues the Department sought to modify the eight existing Marine Transfer Stations for the development of long-term export of solid waste. Greeley and Hansen led the feasibility planning to determine if the existing MTS network could be upgraded and modified to provide a system where waste could be received at the MTSs, placed and compacted into sealed containers, loaded onto barges and transported to inner-harbor port facilities where the containers could be off-loaded onto rail, ship or truck for transport to remote out-of-city disposal facilities. 

The project team provided fast-track delivery of conceptual design for this project, along with estimated implementation budgets and schedules.  Ultimately, the study led to the development of final design to provide for containerization operations at five of the City’s eight marine transfer stations. 

The purpose of the study was to identify a long-term cost-effective solution to New York City’s solid waste disposal program.  The previous system of using long haul trucks to move solid waste to distant landfills generated odors, litter, traffic, noise and emissions.  The new transfer stations containerize the solid waste in standard shipping containers that can be easily loaded onto barges and railroad cars for long distance hauling to remote landfills.  This historic program not only eliminates much of the environmental impacts associated with the old method of solid waste input, it also provides a flexible and economical means of handling and transporting solid wastes.  

Project Highlights: 

• Feasibility study evaluated how to upgrade modify the existing solid waste Marine Transfer Station network 

• Conceptual design of conversion of facilities to containerization of solid waste 

• Cost-effective solution that also improved the environment, equity and quality of life in the community