The recent announcement by New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn to improve and expand the city’s recycling program, was the first significant alteration to this policy since 1989. Some of the goals included within this change are to expand plastic recycling beyond types one and two to include all rigid containers; expand public space recycling bins from 300 to 700 bins within 10 years; require improved leaf and yard waste composting, and improved recycling at city schools and city agencies.
The law will also replace tonnage mandates with percentage diversion goals to avoid the penalty caused by decreasing volumes, and, it would mandate improved enforcement, outreach and education, and in true bureaucratic fashion, require more studies and reports.
‘This is the perfect time to be looking at ways to make our city even greener,’ said Speaker Christine C. Quinn. ‘We're incredibly excited to be introducing a package of bills that will dramatically expand and overhaul the way we recycle here in New York City. Our legislation will divert over 8,000 tons of plastic every year away from landfills and incinerators. That's equal to the amount of trash produced by nearly 10,000 people each year.’
‘As chair of the Sanitation Committee, I wholeheartedly support these improvements to Local Law 19, the City's comprehensive residential recycling law,’ said Sanitation Committee Chair Letitia James. ‘Revisions to the law that especially appeal to me include the expanded public space recycling initiative which would more than double the 300 bins in place, and require DOS to site a total of 700 public space recycling bins. I also support improved recycling at City and non-DOE Schools. This plan involves each school designating a recycling coordinator to place and manage receptacles around schools, specifically in classrooms and at entrances and exits of lunchrooms. The residential recycling law adds logical upgrades to the City's current recycling efforts.’
