Recycling has increased in recent years and now NYC recycles almost 30% of its waste. There is still lots of progress to make, but it’s a good start!

The New York Department of Sanitation has an excellent site on recycling and how it is handled in the city.

Earth911.org is an excellent site for finding a recycling center near you, and other information.

The Lower East Side Ecology Center often has electronics recycling events around the city.

Our partner Build It Green! has links to local recycling and reuse sites.

Apartment Building Recycling Initiative (ABRI)

Sometimes you are very dedicated to recycling and sorting your otherwise trash, but the apartment building that you live in just makes it difficult to recycle. Maybe the super hasn’t learned the steps, maybe the landlord is negligent, maybe maintence staff has never been properly instructed, maybe there is little space where you put your trash—there are many reasons as to why there might not be a great recycling program, but now you can do something about it!

The DSNY has a training program for volunteers in the ABRI as recycling advocates. If your building qualifies for the program, you will be trained to take control of your recycling situation to make it better.

First, you go to a fun and informative training session, then a representative will visit your site, then DSNY will work with you to make personalized improvement to the recycling system and give you enough free stickers, magnets, decals and more to reach every tenant.

Click Here to sign up for training.

Plastic

The biggest confusion in plastic recycling is over the little numbers. You know what they are, the numbers 1-7 that grace the bottom of plastic bottles and containers. Well plastic recycling is actually quite specific, and the numbers are not very helpful. But in fact, it is much easier than trying to find the number on the container.

Just ask yourself one question: Is it a bottle or a jug? If it is one of those two, than it can be recycled; if not, no luck. Milk jug? Yes. Yogurt container? No. Soda bottle? Yes. Broken plastic toy? No. Take out container? No. It is as easy as that. Bottle or jug? Yes. Anything else? No. Plastics get mixed with metals for curbside pickup. See what the DSNY says about plastics.

Metal

Metal is a bit easier, and pretty much includes anything that is metal. Metal cans—obviously—which also includes the likes of empty aerosol cans and paint cans. Aluminum foil wrap and trays are recyclable. Also included by the DSNY is what they call household metal. This includes small appliances that are mostly metal, perhaps a toaster, things like broken metal hangers, and anything else that is metal. Metal gets mixed with the plastic for curbside pickup. See what the DSNY says about metals.

Paper

A problem sometimes with paper is that people don’t realize how many different kinds of paper is recyclable. Everyone knows that office paper and newspaper is recyclable, but did you know that cardboard egg cartons are recyclable? Or what about soft-cover books? Window envelopes and magazines are okay also. See the full list of what DSNY accepts.

THE TRICKY ONE: Milk cartons, juice boxes, and the like are recyclable but go mixed in with the plastic and metal!

Batteries

All of the Self-Help Special Waste Sites run by the DSNY accept household and automotive batteries. In fact, it is illegal to discard an automotive battery or a rechargeable battery in the common trash. To find a place where you can recycle your used rechargeable batteries go here and use your zip-code to search.

Many hardware stores also accept batteries, as do some other stores such as Whole Foods. So ask around you local businesses and see if some of them accept used batteries.

CFL Bulbs

For all the benefits like saving energy, reducing your electric bill and preventing greenhouse gas emissions, you have to remember one thing about CFL bulbs: they contain a small amount of mercury. It is much less than before, but there is still a small amount. In comparison to the emissions of heavy metals like mercury from coal-fired powerplants, you are still using way less mercury—and this kind you can dispose of properly.

It is actually illegal in New York State for large businesses to throw away their fluorescent bulbs containing mercury. Households will not get in trouble for it—the limit is 15 bulbs per month—but why should you hold yourself to a laxer standard?

The best thing to do is to take a bulb to one of the special recycling centers that DSNY has in all five boroughs and if you are a facilities manager Lamp Recycle may be helpful. If you cannot, it is recommended to seal the bulb in a bag and place in the trash with your other garbage. IKEA also accepts CFLs, so if you’re ever near one and are carrying a used cfl…

See what the DSNY says about fluorescent bulbs. GE has a good general resource about the bulbs.

Electronics

Electronics contain heavy metals like lead, cadmium and others that are valuable but also very toxic. All electronic need to be recycled properly to extract these valuable metals and keep them from leaching into soils and groundwater.

There are several options for recycling your electronics. The DSNY has periodic electronics recycling drop-offs in each borough. There are also community organizations that deal with electronics recycling. The Lower East Side Ecology Center runs drop-offs also. A permanent drop-off is at Build it Green!, the salvaged building materials warehouse in Astoria.

Some major computer manufacturers like Dell, HP, and Apple have now pledged to recycle their products, and make them easier to be recycled. Although Apple has come under heavy criticism for lagging in its efforts. Even Sony is getting in on it (although their site is not very helpful).