The Big Apple's Plastic Recycling Efforts: How Effective?

New York City recycles a wide variety of waste, but some materials are more likely to be recycled than others. The city has three solid waste streams: refuse, paper recycling, and metal/glass/plastic recycling. Overall, about 44% of recyclable material is “captured” by city recycling programs, with the remainder sent to landfills. However, the capture rate for each of the recyclable materials varies widely, from as low as 5% to as high as 75%. For example, the Environmental Protection Agency estimated in 2018 that only 8.5% of plastic trash gets recycled into something else.

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that only 8.5% of plastic trash is recycled

The Environmental Protection Agency estimated in 2018 that only 8.5% of plastic trash is recycled into something else. This is a shockingly low figure, especially when compared to the recycling rates of other materials. For example, according to the Department of Sanitation's 2013 Residential Waste Characterization Study, about 44% of recyclable material is "captured" by city recycling programs, with the remainder sent to landfills. However, it's important to note that the capture rate for each recyclable material varies widely, from as low as 5% to as high as 75%. Green container glass, for instance, has a high capture rate of 75%.

The low recycling rate of plastic can be attributed to several factors. One issue is that not all types of plastic are truly recyclable. Plastic stuff labelled #7, for example, is generally not actually recyclable. Additionally, a lot of recyclables are thrown in the wrong bins, which can contaminate the recycling stream and make it more difficult to process and recycle the materials.

To address the low recycling rate of plastic, some states are trying new approaches. For instance, Kaminsky's bill in New York calls for producers to set their own targets for how much recyclable material they will use in their packaging and how much of their packaging will be recycled. These targets would then be reviewed by an advisory board of representatives from environmental groups, recycling agencies, and manufacturers.

It's clear that more needs to be done to increase the recycling rate of plastic and reduce its environmental impact. With the right policies and initiatives, it may be possible to significantly improve the recycling rate of plastic and divert more of it from landfills.

New York City recycles 44% of recyclable material, according to the Department of Sanitation

The city has three solid waste streams: refuse, paper recycling, and metal/glass/plastic recycling. While New York City recycles a wide variety of waste, some materials are more likely to be recycled than others. For instance, glass has a long history of being recycled, and public awareness of glass recycling is high, which boosts its capture rate. On the other hand, plastic dishware was only recently added as a voluntary category for recycling in 2013 and may take time to gain traction.

Additionally, it is worth noting that not all plastics are recyclable. Plastic stuff labelled #7, for example, is generally not actually recyclable. Furthermore, even when plastics are properly recycled, they may not always be recycled into new plastics. The Environmental Protection Agency estimated in 2018 that only 8.5% of plastic trash gets recycled into something else.

Overall, while New York City's recycling rate of 44% is commendable, there is still room for improvement, especially when it comes to plastic recycling.

Paper has a near-100% recycling rate in NYC

New York City recycles a wide variety of waste, but some materials are more likely to be recycled than others. Overall, about 44% of recyclable material is captured by city recycling programs, with the remainder sent to landfills. However, a lot of recyclables are thrown in the wrong bins, which means the capture rate for each of the recyclable materials varies widely, from as low as 5% to as high as 75%.

However, a 2024 study found that the amount of clean paper and cardboard generated and collected has decreased since 2017, and 2023 was the first year in which paper capture rates declined since measurements began in 2005. Paper contamination rates increased by an average of 1.9% between study periods since 2005, but increased by 6% between 2017 and 2023.

In contrast, the Environmental Protection Agency estimated in 2018 that only 8.5% of plastic trash gets recycled into something else. Of metal, glass, and plastic, about 15% goes to landfill, mostly plastic.

Metal, glass and plastic have a 15% landfill rate

The low capture rate for some materials is partly due to the fact that a lot of recyclables are thrown in the wrong bins. For example, aluminium cans are often tossed in with regular trash.

The capture rate for glass is higher than for plastic, with green container glass having the highest capture rate of any material category, at 75%. Glass has a long history of being recycled and public awareness is high, boosting the capture rate. Plastic dishware, on the other hand, was only added as a voluntary category for recycling in 2013 and did not become a required recycling category until after the study ended. It can take years for recycling rates to rise as New Yorkers learn about items added to the list of recyclables.

Green container glass has a 75% capture rate

Overall, about 44% of recyclable material is captured by city recycling programs, with the remainder sent to landfills. However, a lot of recyclables are thrown in the wrong bins, which results in a wide variation in the capture rate for each material. For example, some sources claim that only 20% of recyclables are recycled, while others state that 80% of what is put in recycling bins goes to landfill.

The Environmental Protection Agency estimated in 2018 that only 8.5% of plastic trash gets recycled into something else. Plastic labelled #7 is generally not actually recyclable, and plastic dishware was only added as a voluntary category for recycling in 2013. It can take years for recycling rates to rise as New Yorkers learn about items added to the list of recyclables.

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