The New York City Council has approved a new system for handling commercial waste.

Under the plan, the city is divided into 20 commercial waste zones. In an effort to limit the 90 private waste hauling companies currently operating in the city, the new measure specifies several private waste companies that can operate in each zone based on their safety records, their use of waste transfer stations, and how environmentally friendly their trucks are.

The move is a response to brutal working conditions for industry workers, along with traffic deaths caused by private garbage trucks. At least 28 people have been killed by commercial waste truck drivers since 2010.

Politico New York reporter Danielle Muoio says a broad coalition of different groups, from environmental organizations to the Teamsters union, pushed to get this done.

"It's one of those bills that intersects with the environment, labor, safety," Muoio said, adding that the measure aims to organize the trash pick-up process. "They're saying instead of going throughout the entire city every single night, we have these zones. You have to apply to service a single zone, and to win a contract you have to show that you're going to meet certain labor standards, safety standards, environmental standards, and recycling standards."

Muoio spoke with WNYC's Richard Hake.