Ethan Clarke
New York City has a lot of rules when it comes to recycling, and it can be challenging for residents to keep up. The city's recycling program includes curbside recycling, with separate bins for organic waste, mixed paper or cardboard, and metal, glass, plastic, or cartons. Despite these efforts, New York City recycles only about a fifth of its garbage. The city is exploring new solutions to improve its recycling rate and reduce plastic waste, including considering charging product-makers to dispose of their packaging.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Plastic Recycling Rate in NYC | 18% of residential trash and 25% of commercial trash |
| Plastic Recycling Rate Goal | 30% by 2017 |
| Potential Recyclable Residential and Commercial Trash | 68% and 75% respectively |
| Plastic Items That Can Be Recycled | Plastic jugs, food containers, utensils, bottles, cans, and small appliances |
| Plastic Items That Cannot Be Recycled | Shopping bags, foam, squeezable drink pouches, plastic bags, plastic-coated paper, plastic wrap, Styrofoam, and plastic pouches |
| Plastic Recycling Initiatives | HRPK's Park Over Plastic initiative, GrowNYC's grassroots community-based approach |
| Plastic Waste Management Cost | $32 billion annually worldwide |
| New York State's Approach | Considering charging product-makers to dispose of their packaging |
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What You'll Learn
New York City's plastic recycling rate
New York City recycles a wide variety of waste, including plastic. The city has three solid waste streams: refuse, paper recycling, and metal/glass/plastic recycling. However, the recycling rate for plastics in New York City is a cause for concern. According to the Environmental Protection Agency in 2018, only 8.5% of plastic trash in the US is recycled into something else. This is a problem not just for New York but for the entire country, which is one of the world's highest per-capita consumers of plastic.
The city's recycling rate for plastics is difficult to determine, but some sources suggest that it is low. For example, plastic dishware, which includes single-use plastic cups, plates, and cutlery, has a capture rate of only 5%. This means that only 5% of the material collected enters the recycling stream, while the rest ends up in landfills. Overall, about 44% of recyclable material is captured by city recycling programs, according to data from the Department of Sanitation's 2013 Residential Waste Characterization Study.
The low recycling rate for plastics in New York City can be attributed to several factors. One issue is contamination, where non-recyclable materials, such as food waste, are mixed with recyclable plastics, rendering them unrecyclable. Another factor is the confusion around what can and cannot be recycled, leading to recyclable materials being thrown in the wrong bins. Additionally, even when consumers place their plastic waste in the appropriate receptacles, they may not be processed and reused due to the limitations of recycling markets, which do not accept all types of plastic.
To address the low plastic recycling rate, New York City has implemented various initiatives. For instance, the Park Over Plastic initiative in Hudson River Park has placed 25 new recycling bins throughout the park to encourage proper recycling. GrowNYC, a non-profit organization, also works to increase participation in the city's curbside recycling program through community-based workshops and educational resources. Furthermore, the city is considering new solutions to plastic waste, such as charging product-makers to dispose of their packaging and transferring the responsibility for recycling from consumers to product manufacturers.
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Rules for plastic recycling in NYC
New York City has a plethora of rules when it comes to recycling, and it can be challenging to keep up. Here is a concise guide to the rules for plastic recycling in NYC.
Firstly, it is important to separate recyclables into the correct categories. Plastics should be sorted and placed with metal, glass, and cartons. These items should be placed in clear plastic bags or designated recycling bins. It is important to note that not all plastics are recyclable. Plastic bags, for example, cannot be recycled and should be placed in black landfill bins. Other non-recyclable plastics include shopping bags, foam, squeeze tubes, pouches, Styrofoam, and plastic-coated paper.
Food contamination is another critical factor in plastic recycling. Before placing plastic items in the recycling bin, ensure they are washed and free of any food residue or oil. This is because food-contaminated plastics are often disqualified from being recycled and end up in landfills. Rinsing bottles and containers is a simple yet effective way to increase the likelihood of proper recycling.
Additionally, certain plastic items, such as plastic food containers and small appliances, can be recycled. However, it is important to empty and rinse these items before recycling them. Caps and lids can usually be left on, but it is recommended to give them a quick rinse as well.
While New York City has a way to go in terms of improving its recycling rates, these simple rules can help individuals make a significant difference in reducing plastic waste. It is also worth noting that schools and retailers play a role in recycling, with schools being required to implement sustainability plans and larger retailers mandated to provide bins for collecting used plastic bags.
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Plastic waste management costs
The NYC Department of Sanitation, the world's largest sanitation department, manages the city's waste and recycling. The department's initiatives, such as the Commercial Waste Zones bill, aim to streamline waste management. However, the city's overall recycling rate has declined, with residents recycling only about 17% of their total waste, despite a capacity for higher rates under the current program.
The contamination of recyclables is a significant challenge. Food contamination, for instance, can disqualify otherwise recyclable plastics, leading to landfill disposal. The NYC Housing Authority's recycling bins have high contamination rates, attributed to their placement. Plastic film, such as supermarket bags, comprises 7.5% of NYC's waste stream and is challenging to recycle due to clogging issues.
To reduce waste management costs, NYC encourages waste reduction initiatives. The State Solid Waste Management Policy focuses on preventing solid waste generation through behavioural changes and modifications in products, packaging, and purchasing habits. Educational programs and quantity-based user fee disposal programs, such as Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT), are also promoted to incentivize waste reduction.
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Extended producer responsibility laws
New York City has a curbside recycling program, and schools and other city agencies are required to recycle. However, there is often confusion around what can and cannot be recycled in the city. For example, plastics such as shopping bags, foam, and squeezable drink pouches are not accepted by the program.
To address this issue and improve waste management, New York State is pushing to implement Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws for packaging. EPR is a policy tool that makes producers legally and financially responsible for mitigating the environmental impact of their products and packaging. It shifts the cost away from taxpayers and plays a crucial role in reducing plastic waste and encouraging sustainable practices.
The proposed EPR laws in New York would require producers to join a packaging reduction and recycling organization and pay fees to achieve the goals set out in the law. The fees would reimburse local governments and private companies for the costs associated with reduction, refill, reuse, collection, transportation, recycling, disposal, and other processing of packaging materials. The law would cover a wide range of materials, including paper, cardboard, wood, glass, various types of plastics, steel, aluminum, and mixed materials.
The specific reduction rates outlined in the bill are ambitious. For instance, the target for plastic trash bags sold or offered for sale in the state is to have 20% post-consumer recycled content. By 2035, the recycling rate target for non-plastic packaging jumps to 50%, with at least 10% reused, and by 2050, the rate is expected to be 75% reused or recycled, with at least 20% reused.
However, some critics argue that the EPR for packaging bills backed by the industry put the polluters in charge and rely on self-regulation, which may not effectively reduce waste. To address this concern, it is essential to have comprehensive EPR programs and strong model bills that include the key pillars of effective Extended Producer Responsibility.
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NYC Organic Collection bins
New York City has a comprehensive recycling program, and its sanitation department is the world's largest, managing 12,000 tons of residential and institutional refuse and recycling daily. However, not all plastics are recyclable in NYC, and there is often confusion around what can and cannot be recycled.
The NYC Department of Sanitation (DSNY) has implemented a two-year pilot program to collect source-separated organics, including food scraps, food-soiled paper, and yard trimmings, from approximately 100,000 households, 350 schools, and several agencies and institutions. This program aims to determine the feasibility of adding organics diversion to NYC's waste management system as a separate "recycling stream."
The NYC Organics Collection program provides residents in pilot areas with brown 13-gallon bins with latching lids and wheels to collect food waste, yard trimmings, and food-soiled paper. These bins are placed on the curb for collection by the DSNY. The majority of the collected material is yard trimmings, followed by a significant amount of food waste.
Apartment buildings with three to nine units typically receive one 21-gallon bin to share, and each household is provided with a small kitchen container for food scraps. Additionally, owners and property managers of buildings with four or more units must provide a designated storage area with clearly labelled compost bins.
One challenge the program faces is the contamination of organic waste with plastic bags, which are not accepted in the organics recycling stream. DSNY is working on solutions to minimise contaminants, and residents are encouraged to wash plastic items coated in food or oil before placing them in the recycling bin to prevent food contamination, which can disqualify otherwise recyclable plastics.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, New York City does recycle plastics. However, not all plastics are accepted by recycling markets, and even when consumers place their plastics in the appropriate receptacle, they may not be recycled.
Plastic bags, foam, and squeezable drink pouches are not accepted by recyclers in New York City.
Plastics that are not recycled end up in landfills.
New York City currently recycles only about a fifth of its garbage. To improve the recycling rate, the city could consider implementing extended producer responsibility laws, which would force producers of consumer goods to pay for the disposal of the packaging their products come in.
