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Background Info on Recycling

Picture
Matt Malina standing next to a pile of milk jugs (Number 2 plastic) ready to be recycled.
Why are NYC residents required to separate recycling into 2 bins, one for paper and one for bottles and cans? Because NYC has 2 recycling plants; one that handles paper and one that handle metal, glass and plastic (MGP).

Pratt Paper in Staten Island receives about half of the city’s paper and recycles it into cardboard (pizza boxes). Interestingly, a large portion of the rest of the paper gets put in empty shipping containers and recycled in China.

Sims Municipal Recycling handles all of the city’s MGP at its recycling plant in Jersey City.  The city is building a new recycling facility in Sunset Park on the Brooklyn waterfront that will be operated by Sims. It will have an education center and host school groups to teach them about recycling and how the plant operates. Students will get to see first hand the scale on which NYC’s recycling accumulates and the positive impact on the environment that they themselves can contribute to by recycling.

The city has taken some very significant steps to improve recycling. Recognizing the opportunity to save money, the city set a goal to double the recycling rate by 2017. This was announced in January 2012 by Deputy Mayor for Operations Cas Holloway. There is also a proposal to send 300,000 tons to a Waste to Energy (WTE) plant in Buffalo by rail.  Additionally, The city hired a new Recycling Commissioner, Ron Gonen and Assistant Commissioner Emily Rubenstein.

GROWNYC, the quasi city-private agency that runs the Farmer’s Markets has a division that handles recycling education. Their Recycling Champions initiative helps school set up recycling programs. GROWNYC is in the process of expanding this program from a staff of 1 to 6.
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  • EVENTS
    • BEFORE AND AFTER
    • Past Events >
      • 2021
      • 2020 >
        • 2020 Fall and Year End Summary
      • 2019 >
        • 2019 Spring Summary
        • 2019 Fall and Year End Summary
      • 2018 >
        • 2018 fall & year end summary
        • 2018 Spring Summary
        • Challenge Grant 2018
      • 2017 >
        • 2017 Fall & Year End Summary
        • 2017 Spring Summary
        • Challenge Grant 2017
      • 2016 >
        • Fall 2016 Summary
      • 2015
      • 2014
      • 2013
      • 2012
      • 2011
      • 2010
      • 2009
  • NYC H2O Hub
    • SCHEDULE A VIRTUAL LESSON
  • About
    • BEFORE AND AFTER
    • Board of Directors
    • Advisory Board
    • Financial Statements
    • Press
    • Contact Us
  • Field Trips
    • Field Trip Guides
  • Ridgewood Reservoir
    • Ridgewood Reservoir for the 21st Century >
      • CONSTRUCTION
      • ABANDONMENT
      • OLD BROOKLYN WATERWORKS
      • NATURE
      • ENGAGEMENT
      • NYC H2O
    • Bus Stop
    • Community Vision >
      • Ridgewood Reservoir Historic Register
      • Ridgewood Reservoir meeting minutes 2017
      • RR DEC Wetlands Delineation
    • Ridgewood Reservoir Fauna >
      • RR Birds
      • RR Mammals
      • RR Reptiles
      • RR Insects
      • RR Arachnids
    • Ridgewood Reservoir Flora >
      • RR Flowering Plants (Forbs)
      • RR Grasses and Sedges
      • RR Ferns and Mosses
      • RR Trees and Shrubs
      • RR Vines
      • RR Fungi
  • Resources
    • Lesson Plans >
      • Aqueduct Challenge
      • 3d topo map high school
      • Gravity Tube activity
      • 3d topo map for elementary school
      • H2O Map
      • Old BK waterworks map
      • Tree guide
      • Children's books about H2O
      • H2O Student Contest
    • Early Maps of Manhattan & the Collect Pond
  • Donate
    • Become a Member
    • Shop NYC H2O