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05.15.12
What Goes Where
Recycling in NYC: A 5-Part Series
Every Person in New York |
The cheat sheets below are for residential recycling. You can get a lot of questions answered at the City's NYCWasteLess site, but in terms of information presentation, it's an unwieldy mess.
PAPER AND CARDBOARD
RECYCLE
• Books (softcover, no spiral bindings)
• Catalogues
• Cardboard egg cartons
• Cardboard food boxes (smooth)
• Corrugated cardboard boxes (flattened and tied with twine)
• Envelopes, white and colored
• File folders
• Magazines
• Newspapers
• Paper, white and colored (staples ok)
• Paper bags
• Shoe boxes
• Telephone books
• Wrapping paper
TRASH
• Books, hardcover (or: donate)
• Candy wrappers
• Coffee bags
• Coffee cups
• Napkins
• Paper with lots of tape and glue
• Paper cups, plates (soiled with food or liquid)
• Paper towels
• Take-out containers
• Wax Paper
• Tissues
GLASS AND METAL
RECYCLE
• Aerosol cans (empty)
• Aluminum foil (if rinsed off: no baked-on or other food residue)
• Appliances (small, that are mostly metal)
• Cooking pots and pans, utensils
• Curtain rods
• Glass bottles and jars only (labels do not have to be removed)
• Metal (any items that's at least 50% metal)
• Metals cans (labels do not have to be removed)
• Paint cans (dried out)
• Pet food cans
• Soup cans
• Wire hangers (some dry cleaners will accept them back, too)
TRASH
• Ceramics
• Glassware
• Lightbulbs (incandescent); (CFLs: recycling options exist—see below)
• Mirrors
• Pane glass
PLASTICS
RECYCLE
• Bottles (#1 and #2)
• Jugs (#1 and #2 with a neck)
Empty and rinse out. No other plastics accepted by the City.
TRASH
• Bioplastics
• Lettuce containers
• Plastic caps and lids
• Plastic cups
• Plastic hangers
• Plastic produce bags
• Plastic toys
• Plastic trays
• Plastic utensils
• Styrofoam
• Takeout plastics
• Tupperware
CARTONS
RECYCLE
• Juice cartons
• Milk cartons
• Soup cartons
OTHER STUFF
Air Conditioners
• Contains Freon, call 311 for pickup
Appliances (Large)
• Major appliance that are mostly metal, with no Freon: Bulk rules.
Batteries
• Alkaline batteries: drop off at special locations
• Car batteries: Car battery: Return automotive batteries to any service station or auto supply store that sells them.
• Cellphone and rechargeable batteries: Call2Recycle
Building Materials
• Build it Green! NYC
CDs and DVDs
• Best Buy will take CDs, DVDs, and many electronics for recycling—you don't need to have purchased the item from them.
Composting
• The LES Ecology Center accepts composting (be sure to check what's accepted and what's not) at their Community Garden and at the Union Square Greenmarket
• Compost Green Map of Manhattan
• Compost Project in Brooklyn
• Vokashi, a compost service
Dry Cleaning Bags
• Some dry cleaners will take them back for recycling by private companies
Electronic Waste
• All Green Electronics Recycling
• 4th Bin
• ewaste recycling
• LES Ecology Center's e-waste warehouse in Brooklyn
Freezer
• Contains Freon, call 311 for pickup. Remove all doors.
Kitty Litter
• Regular cat litter is trash.
• Consider an eco-friendly alternative, such as Feline Pine or World's Best Cat Litter
Lightbulbs - CFL
• Compact fluorescent lights can be brought to Home Depots, IKEA, and Lowes, among others, for recycling. More info at Recycle a Bulb
Makeup Containers
• Origins will accept for recycling cosmetic jars, tubes, and bottles from any company.
Paint
• Latex paint: drop off at special locations
• Oil-based paint: contact a hazardous waste vendor
Packing Peanuts
• The three locations of Manhattan Mailroom will take your packing peanuts (and the like) and reuse them.
Plastic Bags
• Some retailers (mostly large retailers) are required to take back clean plastic bags.
Plastics, #5s
• You can bring #5 plastic yogurt cups, hummus containers, Brita pitcher filters and other #5s to Whole Foods where there are Preserve Gimme 5 dropoffs. This plastic gets recycled into Preserve toothbrushes, tableware, and kitchen products.
Printer Cartridges
• Staples will recycle them.
Refrigerator
• Contains Freon, call 311 for pickup. Remove all doors.
Soda, Water, Sports Drink Bottles
• Returned to the place you bought it for five cent deposit back.
Tires
• Businesses that sell or install tires must take back tires of approximately the same size that they sell.
Towels and Blankets
• Donate to animal shelters
Water Filters (Brita)
• Preserve Gimme 5 location
Comments? Head over to MUG's blog.
Part One of Recycling in NYC:
Wretched Refuse
  
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Jason Polan started Every Person in New York in March of 2008. He plans on working on the project until it is finished. Look for Every Person in New York on Tuesdays in MUG and daily at Jason's site.
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