In the first move to create comprehensive recycling legislation since 1989, on July 29 the New York City Council passed a series of bills to strengthen the City’s recycling program. The passage of this legislation is a victory not only for the City and for the environment but also for the Women’s City Club, which advocated strongly in favor of expanded recycling legislation through letter writing, meeting with key officials, and delivering testimony at a City Council meeting in April.
The new laws will expand plastic recycling to include all rigid plastics, a significant and much-needed improvement over the status quo wherein plastic recycling extends only to bottles of types 1 and 2 plastic. This expanded recycling will take effect in 2012 following the opening of a new recycling facility in Brooklyn.
In addition to improving plastic recycling, the comprehensive legislation:
- requires that seven hundred public recycling bins be added to the current fleet of three hundred within ten years
- requires that at least one annual City-sponsored hazardous waste disposal event be held in each borough
- establishes a citywide textile recycling program
- includes provisions to improve school recycling, City agency recycling, and yard waste composting
- requires the publication of a Residential Recycling Guide and the provision of training for owners and employees of building that perform poorly, and
- commissions several studies and reports, including a study on composting that will include recommendations for a pilot program.
More details and additional components of the bill package can be found at: http://council.nyc.gov/html/releases/07_29_10_recycling.shtml.
The WCC is excited to see action on these important policy priorities and is proud to have been part of the advocacy process. We had pressed for two additional provisions that we will continue working to get passed as opportunities arise: eliminating Styrofoam from food service materials and requiring that all take-out containers be recyclable.
Post written by Clara Peterson
Tags: recycling
