All topics / Public Safety and Access to Justice
Business Integrity Commission
Created in 2001–2002 to consolidate oversight of three industries with a documented history of organized-crime influence: private trade waste (trash) hauling, the City's public wholesale markets like the Fulton Fish Market, and shipboard gambling. Its predecessor, the Trade Waste Commission, was created by Local Law 42 of 1996 after a 114-count Manhattan DA indictment exposed a mob-run cartel controlling the carting industry.
What's working
- How many violations issued to private waste haulers are there?: 1,074 violations — increasing, driven by more joint enforcement with NYPD and other partners
- How long does it take to approve public wholesale market applications — Renewal?: 205 days — swinging year to year since BIC approves only a few dozen renewals annually
- How many violations issued to legally operating private waste haulers are there?: 729 violations — increasing, driven by more joint enforcement with NYPD and NYS DOT
What's getting worse
- How many violations issued to illegally operating private waste haulers are there?: 345 violations — decreasing overall, following the same backlog-clearance pattern as other BIC violations
- How long does it take to approve public wholesale market applications — New?: 268 days — decreasing, though based on just a handful of applications each year
- How long does it take to approve waste hauling applications — New?: 234 days — decreasing overall, though a recent staff loss has slowed things again
- and 1 more below
Critical indicators
With a numeric target
How long does it take to approve public wholesale market applications — New?
268 days — decreasing, though based on just a handful of applications each yearMisses target by 118 days
How long does it take to approve public wholesale market applications — New?
268 days — decreasing, though based on just a handful of applications each yearMisses target by 118 days
* Year to date — this fiscal year isn't complete, so it's not compared against prior years in the target/trend status above.
View as table
| Fiscal year | Actual | Target |
|---|---|---|
| FY22 | 193 days | 150 days |
| FY23 | 95 days | 150 days |
| FY24 | 204 days | 150 days |
| FY25 | 155 days | 150 days |
| FY26 (YTD) | 268 days | 150 days |
BIC approves only a handful of new public wholesale market applications each year, so the average approval-time figure is volatile by nature — BIC's own reporting notes new-application volumes 'remain low due to a finite amount of space at the markets.' Fiscal 2025's faster time (155 days, down from 204) reflects general processing improvements BIC made that year across both new and renewal applications; later reporting shows times worsening again as the agency lost application-review staff.
Researched July 15, 2026 — Business Integrity Commission, Fiscal 2025 Mayor's Management Report
Why this is tracked
From at least the 1930s through the 1990s, the Fulton Fish Market in Manhattan operated under heavy Mafia influence, with retailers and truckers subject to systematic extortion and threats. A 1988 federal racketeering suit installed a court-appointed trustee to run the market, but organized crime influence persisted. In 2001, a City Charter revision created the Organized Crime Control Commission to consolidate oversight of the public wholesale markets, trade waste, and shipboard gambling into a single regulatory body; it was renamed the Business Integrity Commission under Local Law 21 of 2002. BIC now licenses and monitors businesses operating in and around the City's public markets to keep organized crime and related corruption out.
About BIC - NYC Business Integrity Commission, Fulton Fish Market - Wikipedia
How long does it take to approve public wholesale market applications — Renewal?
205 days — swinging year to year since BIC approves only a few dozen renewals annuallyBeats target by 5 days
How long does it take to approve public wholesale market applications — Renewal?
205 days — swinging year to year since BIC approves only a few dozen renewals annuallyBeats target by 5 days
* Year to date — this fiscal year isn't complete, so it's not compared against prior years in the target/trend status above.
View as table
| Fiscal year | Actual | Target |
|---|---|---|
| FY22 | 170 days | 210 days |
| FY23 | 123 days | 210 days |
| FY24 | 185 days | 210 days |
| FY25 | 103 days | 210 days |
| FY26 (YTD) | 205 days | 210 days |
BIC approves only a few dozen public wholesale market renewal applications each year, so its average approval-time figure can swing sharply from a small number of unusually fast or slow cases. Fiscal 2025's improvement to 103 days (44% faster than fiscal 2024) reflects processing gains BIC reported that year, while its more recent reporting shows renewal approval times rising again alongside a loss of application-review staff.
Researched July 15, 2026 — Business Integrity Commission, Fiscal 2025 Mayor's Management Report
Why this is tracked
From at least the 1930s through the 1990s, the Fulton Fish Market in Manhattan operated under heavy Mafia influence, with retailers and truckers subject to systematic extortion and threats. A 1988 federal racketeering suit installed a court-appointed trustee to run the market, but organized crime influence persisted. In 2001, a City Charter revision created the Organized Crime Control Commission to consolidate oversight of the public wholesale markets, trade waste, and shipboard gambling into a single regulatory body; it was renamed the Business Integrity Commission under Local Law 21 of 2002. BIC now licenses and monitors businesses operating in and around the City's public markets to keep organized crime and related corruption out.
About BIC - NYC Business Integrity Commission, Fulton Fish Market - Wikipedia
How long does it take to approve waste hauling applications — New?
234 days — decreasing overall, though a recent staff loss has slowed things againMisses target by 84 days
How long does it take to approve waste hauling applications — New?
234 days — decreasing overall, though a recent staff loss has slowed things againMisses target by 84 days
* Year to date — this fiscal year isn't complete, so it's not compared against prior years in the target/trend status above.
View as table
| Fiscal year | Actual | Target |
|---|---|---|
| FY22 | 209 days | 150 days |
| FY23 | 168 days | 150 days |
| FY24 | 120 days | 150 days |
| FY25 | 192 days | 150 days |
| FY26 (YTD) | 234 days | 150 days |
The average time to approve a new waste hauling license application improved to 120 days in fiscal 2024 as BIC worked through its caseload, but then jumped to 192 days in fiscal 2025 and continued rising afterward. BIC attributes the fiscal 2025 slowdown to a significant loss of staff on the application review team, which increased the workload on remaining staff; the agency's later reports show the same staffing pressure continuing into fiscal 2026.
Researched July 15, 2026 — Business Integrity Commission, Fiscal 2025 Mayor's Management Report, Business Integrity Commission, Fiscal 2024 Mayor's Management Report
Why this is tracked
For much of the 20th century, private carting (trade waste) in New York City was dominated by a cartel with deep mob ties, which rigged prices, divided territory among haulers, and intimidated business owners who tried to switch carters. The City created the Trade Waste Commission under Local Law 42 of 1996 specifically to license and regulate the industry and remove organized crime's grip on it. In 2001-2002, its functions were folded into the newly formed Business Integrity Commission (BIC), which also took over regulation of the public wholesale markets and shipboard gambling, consolidating the City's anti-corruption oversight of these historically mob-linked industries under one agency.
About BIC - NYC Business Integrity Commission, New York City Business Integrity Commission - Wikipedia
How long does it take to approve waste hauling applications — Renewal?
283 days — decreasing overall, though a recent staff loss has slowed things againMisses target by 73 days
How long does it take to approve waste hauling applications — Renewal?
283 days — decreasing overall, though a recent staff loss has slowed things againMisses target by 73 days
* Year to date — this fiscal year isn't complete, so it's not compared against prior years in the target/trend status above.
View as table
| Fiscal year | Actual | Target |
|---|---|---|
| FY22 | 369 days | 210 days |
| FY23 | 316 days | 210 days |
| FY24 | 230 days | 210 days |
| FY25 | 247 days | 210 days |
| FY26 (YTD) | 283 days | 210 days |
The average time to approve a waste hauling license renewal fell to 230 days in fiscal 2024 as BIC improved internal processing, then rose again afterward. As with new applications, BIC attributes the fiscal 2025 increase to a significant loss of staff involved in reviewing and approving applications, which added to the workload of remaining staff — a pressure the agency's later reporting says continued into fiscal 2026.
Researched July 15, 2026 — Business Integrity Commission, Fiscal 2025 Mayor's Management Report, Business Integrity Commission, Fiscal 2024 Mayor's Management Report
Why this is tracked
For much of the 20th century, private carting (trade waste) in New York City was dominated by a cartel with deep mob ties, which rigged prices, divided territory among haulers, and intimidated business owners who tried to switch carters. The City created the Trade Waste Commission under Local Law 42 of 1996 specifically to license and regulate the industry and remove organized crime's grip on it. In 2001-2002, its functions were folded into the newly formed Business Integrity Commission (BIC), which also took over regulation of the public wholesale markets and shipboard gambling, consolidating the City's anti-corruption oversight of these historically mob-linked industries under one agency.
About BIC - NYC Business Integrity Commission, New York City Business Integrity Commission - Wikipedia
Without a numeric target
How many violations issued to private waste haulers are there?
1,074 violations — increasing, driven by more joint enforcement with NYPD and other partners
How many violations issued to private waste haulers are there?
1,074 violations — increasing, driven by more joint enforcement with NYPD and other partners
* Year to date — this fiscal year isn't complete, so it's not compared against prior years in the target/trend status above. The dashed marker projects a full-year estimate at the current year-to-date pace.
View as table
| Fiscal year | Actual |
|---|---|
| FY22 | 1,088 violations |
| FY23 | 2,876 violations |
| FY24 | 1,573 violations |
| FY25 | 1,822 violations |
| FY26 (YTD) | 1,074 violations |
| FY26 (projected) | ~1,432 violations |
Total violations issued to private waste haulers spiked to 2,876 in fiscal 2023, then fell by nearly half the following year. BIC attributes the fiscal 2023 spike to a backlog of violations that had built up during the COVID-19 pandemic and BIC's newly expanded traffic-safety authority; a new Violation Unit created that year worked through the backlog, which is why fiscal 2024 numbers dropped so much. The renewed increase in fiscal 2025 reflects more joint enforcement operations with the NYPD and other partners plus a rise in on-street enforcement targeting unlicensed haulers.
Researched July 15, 2026 — Business Integrity Commission, Fiscal 2024 Mayor's Management Report, Business Integrity Commission, Fiscal 2025 Mayor's Management Report
Why this is tracked
For much of the 20th century, private carting (trade waste) in New York City was dominated by a cartel with deep mob ties, which rigged prices, divided territory among haulers, and intimidated business owners who tried to switch carters. The City created the Trade Waste Commission under Local Law 42 of 1996 specifically to license and regulate the industry and remove organized crime's grip on it. In 2001-2002, its functions were folded into the newly formed Business Integrity Commission (BIC), which also took over regulation of the public wholesale markets and shipboard gambling, consolidating the City's anti-corruption oversight of these historically mob-linked industries under one agency.
About BIC - NYC Business Integrity Commission, New York City Business Integrity Commission - Wikipedia
How many violations issued to illegally operating private waste haulers are there?
345 violations — decreasing overall, following the same backlog-clearance pattern as other BIC violations
How many violations issued to illegally operating private waste haulers are there?
345 violations — decreasing overall, following the same backlog-clearance pattern as other BIC violations
* Year to date — this fiscal year isn't complete, so it's not compared against prior years in the target/trend status above. The dashed marker projects a full-year estimate at the current year-to-date pace.
View as table
| Fiscal year | Actual |
|---|---|
| FY22 | 562 violations |
| FY23 | 868 violations |
| FY24 | 410 violations |
| FY25 | 576 violations |
| FY26 (YTD) | 345 violations |
| FY26 (projected) | ~460 violations |
Violations issued to illegally operating (unlicensed) waste haulers followed the same arc as BIC's overall violation count: a fiscal 2023 spike tied to clearing a pandemic-era violations backlog after the agency's traffic-safety authority expanded, a fiscal 2024 drop once a new Violation Unit worked through that backlog, and a fiscal 2025 rebound that BIC links to heightened on-street enforcement and a 45% jump in complaints received that year.
Researched July 15, 2026 — Business Integrity Commission, Fiscal 2024 Mayor's Management Report, Business Integrity Commission, Fiscal 2025 Mayor's Management Report
Why this is tracked
For much of the 20th century, private carting (trade waste) in New York City was dominated by a cartel with deep mob ties, which rigged prices, divided territory among haulers, and intimidated business owners who tried to switch carters. The City created the Trade Waste Commission under Local Law 42 of 1996 specifically to license and regulate the industry and remove organized crime's grip on it. In 2001-2002, its functions were folded into the newly formed Business Integrity Commission (BIC), which also took over regulation of the public wholesale markets and shipboard gambling, consolidating the City's anti-corruption oversight of these historically mob-linked industries under one agency.
About BIC - NYC Business Integrity Commission, New York City Business Integrity Commission - Wikipedia
How many violations issued to legally operating private waste haulers are there?
729 violations — increasing, driven by more joint enforcement with NYPD and NYS DOT
How many violations issued to legally operating private waste haulers are there?
729 violations — increasing, driven by more joint enforcement with NYPD and NYS DOT
* Year to date — this fiscal year isn't complete, so it's not compared against prior years in the target/trend status above. The dashed marker projects a full-year estimate at the current year-to-date pace.
View as table
| Fiscal year | Actual |
|---|---|
| FY22 | 526 violations |
| FY23 | 2,008 violations |
| FY24 | 1,163 violations |
| FY25 | 1,246 violations |
| FY26 (YTD) | 729 violations |
| FY26 (projected) | ~972 violations |
Violations issued to legally operating (licensed) waste haulers nearly quadrupled in fiscal 2023 to 2,008, then fell to 1,163 the next year. BIC's own reporting says the fiscal 2023 surge came from clearing a pandemic-era violations backlog, made larger by the agency's expanded traffic-safety enforcement authority starting in fiscal 2022, and that a new Violation Unit created in fiscal 2023 worked through that backlog, driving the fiscal 2024 decline. The fiscal 2025 uptick is attributed to more joint enforcement operations with the NYPD and New York State Department of Transportation.
Researched July 15, 2026 — Business Integrity Commission, Fiscal 2024 Mayor's Management Report, Business Integrity Commission, Fiscal 2025 Mayor's Management Report
Why this is tracked
For much of the 20th century, private carting (trade waste) in New York City was dominated by a cartel with deep mob ties, which rigged prices, divided territory among haulers, and intimidated business owners who tried to switch carters. The City created the Trade Waste Commission under Local Law 42 of 1996 specifically to license and regulate the industry and remove organized crime's grip on it. In 2001-2002, its functions were folded into the newly formed Business Integrity Commission (BIC), which also took over regulation of the public wholesale markets and shipboard gambling, consolidating the City's anti-corruption oversight of these historically mob-linked industries under one agency.
About BIC - NYC Business Integrity Commission, New York City Business Integrity Commission - Wikipedia
How many public wholesale market license and registration applications denied or were revoked?
0 license
How many public wholesale market license and registration applications denied or were revoked?
0 license
* Year to date — this fiscal year isn't complete, so it's not compared against prior years in the target/trend status above.
View as table
| Fiscal year | Actual |
|---|---|
| FY22 | 0 license |
| FY23 | 0 license |
| FY24 | 0 license |
| FY25 | 0 license |
| FY26 (YTD) | Not available |
0 license in FY25 — has no numeric target set by the City, and it has stayed essentially flat over the past 3 years of reported data.
Why this is tracked
From at least the 1930s through the 1990s, the Fulton Fish Market in Manhattan operated under heavy Mafia influence, with retailers and truckers subject to systematic extortion and threats. A 1988 federal racketeering suit installed a court-appointed trustee to run the market, but organized crime influence persisted. In 2001, a City Charter revision created the Organized Crime Control Commission to consolidate oversight of the public wholesale markets, trade waste, and shipboard gambling into a single regulatory body; it was renamed the Business Integrity Commission under Local Law 21 of 2002. BIC now licenses and monitors businesses operating in and around the City's public markets to keep organized crime and related corruption out.
About BIC - NYC Business Integrity Commission, Fulton Fish Market - Wikipedia
How many waste hauling license and registration applications denied or were revoked?
2 license
How many waste hauling license and registration applications denied or were revoked?
2 license
* Year to date — this fiscal year isn't complete, so it's not compared against prior years in the target/trend status above.
View as table
| Fiscal year | Actual |
|---|---|
| FY22 | 1 license |
| FY23 | 1 license |
| FY24 | 1 license |
| FY25 | 2 license |
| FY26 (YTD) | Not available |
This indicator has swung sharply within the lookback window — a simple up/down label would oversimplify it, so no trend badge is shown here. See the chart and table above for the full picture.
Why this is tracked
For much of the 20th century, private carting (trade waste) in New York City was dominated by a cartel with deep mob ties, which rigged prices, divided territory among haulers, and intimidated business owners who tried to switch carters. The City created the Trade Waste Commission under Local Law 42 of 1996 specifically to license and regulate the industry and remove organized crime's grip on it. In 2001-2002, its functions were folded into the newly formed Business Integrity Commission (BIC), which also took over regulation of the public wholesale markets and shipboard gambling, consolidating the City's anti-corruption oversight of these historically mob-linked industries under one agency.
About BIC - NYC Business Integrity Commission, New York City Business Integrity Commission - Wikipedia