By Cole Rosengren, Waste Dive.

Trade associations from both the waste and food industries recently asked New York's Department of Sanitation (DSNY) to withdraw a proposed commercial organics diversion rule for reconsideration due to multiple concerns. The request came in a letter, submitted ahead of an Oct. 31 hearing on the proposal, that was jointly signed by the National Waste & Recycling Association's local chapter, New Yorkers for Responsible Waste Management, Food Industry Alliance of New York State, New York State Restaurant Association, New York City Hospitality Alliance and National Supermarket Association.

While the letter say these associations "support the city's commitment to the diversion of organic waste," it raises multiple pages' worth of questions about regional processing capacity, stakeholder consultation, costs and other factors. The letter also calls for parallel consideration of a residential organics diversion mandate, in the spirit of mandatory recycling rules throughout the city.