New York City Recycle Everything

New York City recently announced its new “Recycle Everything” campaign that highlights the City’s expanded plastics recycling program. NYC residents can now recycle all rigid plastics in the same recycling container as their metal, glass bottles & jars, and beverage cartons.

Previously, the City only collected plastic only in bottle form.  Paper and cardboard recycling (collected separately from designated metal, glass, and plastic recyclables) remains the same.

The Department of Sanitation is currently updating its rules and regulations to reflect this new program. Until the new rule becomes effective, no summonses will be issued for improperly placing rigid plastics in the trash, but you can begin participating in NYC’s new recycling programs today.

Recycling signage for use within buildings for paper and cardboard and metal, glass, rigid plastics, and cartons can be found on the DSNY website.

NYC spent over $330 million send material to landfills last year. Much of that material can be recycled at local facilities in NYC which saves money, generates revenue and creates local jobs.  Mayor Bloomberg has pledged to divert over 30% of out waste stream from landfills by 2017. Below is a list of some new programs that have launched that you can sign up for.

 e-cycleNYC

e-cycleNYC will launch in the fall and will represents the most comprehensive electronics recycling program offered by any municipality in the country.  The e-cycleNYC program will allow apartment buildings with greater than 10 units to request on-site electronics recycling services at no cost to the building. 

Consider signing up now as starting in 2015, it will be illegal for New Yorkers to discard electronics in the trash.

re-fashionNYC

A partnership between the City of New York and Housing Works, re-fashioNYC makes clothing, fabric, and accessory donation as easy as possible through convenient in-building drop-off service. Apartment buildings of 10 units or more can request a donation bin to be placed on site. Housing Works will collect the bin contents for clothing donation or textile recycling within 5 business days of being contacted at no cost to the building owner. 

Organics Collection

New York City encourages the collection of organics, Christmas trees, landscaper waste, and wood debris for composting and energy production. Many of the Green Markets have an organics collection program, and the City expanded its organics collection pilot to multiunit and high-rise apartment buildings in select neighborhoods throughout the City.