The document summarizes David Hirschler's presentation on the top 10 tips for recycling and waste reduction in NYC buildings. The tips include recycling properly, reducing waste, reusing items, taking back electronics and batteries, safely disposing of household hazardous waste, composting, and buying recycled products. The presentation provides information on NYC's recycling program, what can and cannot be recycled, and programs to promote recycling and waste prevention in apartment buildings.

1. The Hit List: The Top Tips to
Green NYC Buildings
GreenHomeNYC April Forum
Part 2 of 3
Recycling

2. Top 10 Tips for Recycling &
Waste Reduction for Green
Home’s in NYC
Presentation by:
David Hirschler
NYC Department of Sanitation
Bureau of Waste Prevention, Reuse
& Recycling
April 17, 2011

3. DSNY Customers
Largest municipal waste and recycling program in the world
 8.3 million residents
• Over 3 million
households
• 40 City agencies
• 1,200 schools
• 5,000 non-profit
institutions

4. Role of Bureau of Waste Prevention,
Reuse & Recycling
• City’s curbside recycling program
• Recycling public education & research
• Composting facilities & education
• Managing safe handling of harmful products
• Implementing take-back laws
• Supporting reuse in NYC
• Waste prevention public education & programs

5. Top 10 Tips
1. Recycle
2. Recycle
3. Recycle
4. Recycle
5. Reduce your waste
6. Look for Reuse Options
7. Take-it-Back NYC
8. Harmful Household Products
9. Compost
10. Buy Recycled Products

6. Top 10 Tips
Why 4 tips for recycling?
• About 50% of all designated recyclables generated in
NYC are being thrown in the trash, which means
624,000tons per year of designated recyclables are being
thrown in the trash.
• Strong markets exist for designated recyclables.
• Infrastructure is in already in place to collect and process
these materials.
• The more recyclables we collect, the more efficient our
truck routes are.

7. Top 10 Tips
Recycle: Understand the program

8. Residential Recycling in NYC
The NYC Department of Sanitation collects
recyclables once a week in two separate streams:
 mixed paper &
cardboard
 beverage
cartons, bottles, ca
ns, metal & foil

9. What to Recycle with the NYC
Department of Sanitation

10. Recycle:
mixed paper & cardboard

11. Non-Recyclable Paper*
 soft paper (napkins,
tissues, paper towels)
 waxed or plastic-
coated paper (candy
wrappers, oatmeal &
hot chocolate packets,
take-out containers)
 soiled paper
(containing lots of food
residue, etc.)
 hardcover books
* through NYC’s curbside recycling program

12. Recycle:
beverage cartons, bottles, cans,
metal & foil
empty & rinse

13. Recycle:
bulk metal
 Anything containing at least
50% metal.
 Place at the curb beside
recycling bags or bins.
 Refrigerators & air
conditioners must get
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
removed. Call 311 or make
an appointment online.

14. Non-Recyclable Plastic*
Any items other than
plastic bottles & jugs
 Deli & yogurt containers
 Plastic cups & straws
 Plastic utensils
 Styrofoam
 Plastic bags
* through NYC’s curbside recycling program

15. Non-Recyclable Glass*
Any items other than
glass bottles & jars
 Ceramics
 Glassware
 Light bulbs
 Mirrors
 Plate
glass/windows
* through NYC’s curbside recycling program

16. Top 10 Tips
Recycle: Convenient Recycling Areas
Residential building owners and landlords must:
1. Designate and maintain an accessible recycling area.

17. Recycling Area Options
 in the chute room on every floor (convenient for residents)
 in the basement (less convenient for residents)
 Residents bring recyclables to an area outside the building.

18. Successful Recycling Area
Components:
1. Recycling information prominently displayed.
2. Safe, clean, and well lit.
3. Recycling containers emptied regularly, lined with clear bags, and
appropriately labeled. (NEVER line a recycling bin with a black bag.)
4. Recycling bins next to garbage bins (reduces contamination).

19. Top 10 Tips
Recycle: Educate Tenants
Residential building owners and landlords must:
2. Post signs explaining what and how to recycle.
3. Notify tenants about recycling requirements.

20. Join the NYC Apartment Building
Recycling Initiative
Promote and improve recycling
in NYC apartment buildings through hands-on
education and cooperation among and
between the
 NYC Department of Sanitation
 buildingresidents
 building staff, and
 property managers
nyc.gov/wasteless/abr

21. Additional Educational Options
• Order educational materials for your building
(call 311 or use online order form at
nyc.gov/wasteless.)
• provide recycling education once a year.
• Make sure new residents receive a welcome kit
that includes recycling info.
• Table in the lobby or outside the building.
• Start a bulletin board, newsletter, or blog.
• Set up a recycling committee.
• Require a recycling lease rider

22. Top 10 Tips
Recycle: Correctly Set Out Recyclables
Residential building owners and landlords must:
4. Store recyclables until designated recycling collection day.
5. Set out recyclables for Sanitation collection in either clear
bags or labeled recycling bins.

23. Residential Recycling in NYC
The NYC Department of Sanitation collects
recyclable materials in either:
 CLEAR bags or
 Recycling bins labeled
with a green or blue
decal.
 Bulk Metal should be
placed at the curb beside
recycling bags or bins.
To find out your recycling day, call 311 or use the
collection schedule feature on
www.nyc.gov/sanitation.

24. Top 10 Tips
Reduce your Waste

25. Waste Prevention Tips
Visit www.nyc.gov/wasteless for Waste Prevention tips at
home, while shopping &at work

26. Waste Prevention Tips
• Buy durable products instead of single use
products
• Buy products with less packaging
• Visit these sites to stop getting these various
types of junk mail:
o advertisements: dmachoice.org
o catalogs: catalogchoice.org
o credit card and insurance offers:
optoutprescreen.com
o phone books: yellowpagesoptout.com

27. Everything Else

28. Top 10 Tips
Look for Reuse Options

29. re-fashioNYC
• Free convenient service
in your building.
• 100% of your donations
go to charitable causes:
Tax receipts available on
site.
• Reduce the amount of
waste your building
generates and help those
in need.
nyc.gov/refashion

30. NYC Stuff Exchange: Website & App
Use this free online tool to
find out where to donate,
buy, or sell gently used
goods in NYC.
 Around 700 listings of
donation organizations
and outlets.
 Searchable by zip code,
borough, or citywide.
 Calendar for donation
drives, swap meets,
rummage sales.
nyc.gov/stuffexchange

31. NYC WasteMatch
wastematch.org

32. Top 10 Tips
Take-it-Back NYC

33. Take-It-Back NYC: electronic equipment
• Electronics manufacturers are required by NY state law to
establish electronics recycling programs which are free and
convenient for residents.
• Wireless Providers are required by NY state law to accept cell
phones at their retail locations.
• Manufacturer programs include:
• Retail collections at Best Buy, Goodwill, & Salvation Army
• Mail back programs
• Community Events
• Working with DSNY at upcoming SAFE Disposal Events
nyc.gov/wasteless/electronics

34. Take-It-Back NYC: rechargeable batteries
• Battery Manufacturers are required under NY State law to
establish a program to accept rechargeable batteries. Retailers
are required to accept them at no cost.
• Return them to any NYS store that sells rechargeable
batteries or products that contain rechargeable batteries (with
the exception of small food stores).
• It is illegal for NYC residents to discard rechargeable
batteries in the trash (or in residential recycling containers).
nyc.gov/wasteless/takeback

35. Take-It-Back NYC: plastic bags
• Plastic bags comprise about
2.87% of NYC’s residential
waste stream.
• Bags can be dropped off at
large retail locations that
provide plastic bags.
• Retailers often accept
newspaper bags, dry cleaner
bags, and other film as well.
nyc.gov/wasteless/plasticbags

36. Take-It-Back NYC: additional mandatory
take back programs
• Auto supply stores are required
to accept tires, motor oil, and
auto batteries
• Hospitals are required to
accept used sharps
• Grocers are required to accept
deposit bottles
nyc.gov/wasteless/takeback

37. Take-It-Back NYC: voluntary take back
programs
• CFL’s at Ikea, Home Depot and
other stores
• Mercury thermostats at
wholesalers and contractors
• Ink & Laser cartridges at office
supply stores or directly to
manufacturers
• Unwanted pharmaceuticals at
pharmacies (mailback envelopes
for sale)
• Yogurt containers and other #5
plastics at Whole Foods and other
retailers nyc.gov/wasteless/takeback

38. Top 10 Tips
Harmful Household Products

39. Spring 2012 NYC SAFE Disposal Events
(Solvents, Automotive, Flammable, Electronics)
• NYC Department of Sanitation holding 5 SAFE disposal
events this spring (one in each borough) to provide NYC
residents with a one-stop method to get rid of potentially
harmful household products.
• April 22 - May 19, 2012
• All NYC residents receiving a mailer.
nyc.gov/safediposal

40. Household Special Waste Drop-off sites
• Each borough has a Special Waste Drop-off site.
• NYC residents (must show proof of residency) can bring:
 latex paint
 household and automotive batteries
 vehicle fluids and filters
 fluorescent bulbs (including CFLs)
 mercury-filled thermometers & thermostats
• Sites are open Saturdays from 10 am to 5 pm, except the
last weekend each month, open Fridays instead.
nyc.gov/wasteless/specialwaste

41. Top 10 Tips
Compost

42. NYC Compost Project
Compost outreach and free
workshops on indoor and outdoor
composting to residents and
businesses.
Worm composting workshops
designed to help teachers integrate
natural science and recycling into
the classroom.
Funded by DSNY, programs run by
staff at the City’s four Botanical
Gardens and Lower East Side
Ecology Center

43. NYC Compost Project Community Food
Waste Drop-Off Sites
Sites located throughout the City that
voluntarily accept food waste

44. Top 10 Tips
Buy Recycled Products
• Help recycling markets stay strong
• Quality has improved dramatically

45. Thank You
nyc.gov/wasteless