Recycling FAQ’s

All about recycling and composting

WHAT can I recycle and HOW?

  • The following materials must be separated from household, agency, and institution garbage and set out for recycling collection (in a different recycling receptacle than the metal, plastic, glass, and carton recycling):
    PAPER
    • newspapers, magazines, catalogs, phone books, mixed paper
    • white and colored paper (lined, copier, computer; staples OK)
    • mail and envelopes (any color; window envelopes OK)
    • paper bags
    • wrapping paper
    • soft-cover books (phone books, paperbacks, comics, etc.; no spiral bindings)
    • cardboard egg cartons and trays
    • smooth cardboard (food and shoe boxes, tubes, file folders, cardboard from product packaging)
    • pizza boxes (remove and discard soiled liner; recycle little plastic supporter in blue bin)
    • paper cups (waxy lining ok when empty and clean; plastic lids go in blue bin)
    • corrugated cardboard boxes (flattened)
    NOT ACCEPTED
    • Paper with heavy wax or plastic coating (candy wrappers, take-out containers, etc.)
    • soiled paper soft paper (napkins, paper towels, tissues)
    • hardcover books

  • The following materials must be separated from household, agency, and institution garbage and set out for recycling collection (in a different recycling receptacle than the mixed paper and cardboard recycling):
    METAL (all kinds)
    • Metal cans (soup, pet food, empty aerosol cans, empty paint cans, etc.)
    • aluminum foil and foil products (wrap and trays)
    • metal caps and lids
    • household metal (wire hangers, pots, tools, curtain rods, small appliances that are mostly metal, certain vehicle license plates, etc.)
    • Bulk metal (large metal items, such as furniture, cabinets, etc.)
    GLASS
    • glass bottles and jars ONLY
    PLASTIC (rigid plastics)
    • plastic bottles, jugs, and jars
    • rigid plastic caps and lids
    • rigid plastic food containers (yogurt, deli, hummus, dairy tubs, cookie tray inserts, “clamshell” containers, other plastic take-out containers)
    • rigid plastic non-food containers (“blister-pak” and “clamshell” consumer packaging, acetate boxes) 16 NYC Department of Sanitation January 2015
    • Rigid plastic housewares (flower pots, mixing bowls, plastic appliances, etc.)
    • Bulk rigid plastic (crates, buckets, pails, furniture, large toys, large appliances, etc.)
    NOTE: Rigid plastic is any item that is mostly plastic resin, has a relatively inflexible fixed shape or form, and is capable of maintaining its shape or form.
    CARTONS
    • Food and beverage cartons and drink boxes (for example, aseptic packaging that hold beverages and food: juice, soy milk, soup, etc.)
    NOT ACCEPTED:
    • batteries
    • 3-ring binders
    • foam plastics (commonly called “Styrofoam”)
    • umbrellas
    • flexible plastic (such as wrappers and pouches)
    • garden hoses
    • film plastic (such as plastic bags and product wrap)
    • luggage
    • cigarette lighters and butane gas lighters
    • sponges
    • cassette and VHS tapes
    • sport balls
    • pens and markers
    • cables, wires, cords

  • • TVs
    • VCRs, DVRs, and DVD players
    • Cable and satellite boxes
    • Video game consoles
    • Computers: including small servers; monitors; laptops and their peripherals (such as keyboards, hard drives, mice, etc.)
    • Printers/scanners
    • Fax machines
    • Small electronics: including tablets; mobile phones; MP3 players
    NOTE: Appliances, batteries, and light bulbs are NOT accepted.

  • The following textiles are accepted, once they are cleaned:
    • Clothing (from women, men & children)
    • Shoes, purses, gloves, scarves, hats & belts
    • Towels, curtains, bedding & linens
    • Clean rags and torn clothing

  • • Automotive products such as motor oil, transmission fluid, and batteries
    • Personal care items such as unwanted/expired medicines or cosmetics (i.e. Nail polish)
    • Syringes (clearly labeled and packaged in a “sharps” container or other leak-proof, puncture-resistant container)
    • Thermometers
    • Household products such as pesticides, paint, hazardous cleaners, compact fluorescent light bulbs
    • Electronics – check the list of items that are considered electronics.
    Download the DSNY checklist for easy reference.

  • Medication: Mail back or visit dontflushyourdrugs.net

    Sharps: Bring to hospitals in a sealed, puncture-resistant container.

  • Days: Every Saturday & the last Friday of every month
    Hours: 10am to 5pm
    Locations:
    • Bronx: Hunts Point at Farragut Street and the East River, next to the Fulton Fish Market. Enter on Farragut Street, off Food Center Drive
    • Brooklyn: 459 North Henry Street in Greenpoint
    • Manhattan: 74 Pike Slip, between Cherry Street & South Street under the Manhattan Bridge
    • Queens: College Point at 30th Avenue, between 120th and 122nd Streets, at the northwest corner of the DSNY Queens District 7 garage
    • Staten Island: Located off the Muldoon Avenue exit of the southbound West Shore Expressway (440), past the DSNY security booth

Why Compost?

Food scraps, food-soiled paper and yard waste comprise a third of the trash New Yorkers throw away! By participating in Curbside Composting, you help us to:

Keep your neighborhoods clean and healthy by:

·       Placing food waste in brown bins instead of in bags at the curb.

·       This reduces the chance of bags breaking open, causing spillage or litter.

·       Reducing rodents and pests access to food waste.

·       The brown bins have a latching lid that makes it harder for pests to get at the food waste than if it were in a bag at the curb.

Make NYC more self-sufficient and more resilient by:

·       Reducing waste being sent to far away landfills

·       Creating compost, which nourishes our soil for healthier parks and gardens

·       Creating clean, renewable energy, which can be used to heat or power homes

Just like with recycling, NYC Curbside Composting allows us to create a resource out of our waste. The choice is yours. You can either place food scraps and yard waste in the garbage and let material rot in a landfill and create harmful greenhouse gases. Or, you can choose to put your food scraps and yard waste in the brown bin and help create compost and green energy for our city.

For more information on composting, go to MakeCompost.nyc.

  • Compost has a variety of benefits, both from an environmental standpoint as well as in ensuring the integrity of your project. When used correctly, compost saves money through reduced maintenance costs, ensures your project is more sustainable, and increases your project’s overall likelihood of success among other environmental benefits. The US Composting Council has collaborated with Association of American Plant Food Control Officials (AAPFCO) to create a list of benefits of compost backed up by research. The benefits of compost include those listed below.

    For more information, visit U.S. Composting Council

  • ALL FOOD WASTE including:
    • coffee grounds and tea bags
    • shells (seafood, nut, and egg)
    • bones
    • spoiled and expired food
    • food soiled paper (napkins, towels, uncoated plates, bags, trays, boxes)
    Yard and Plant Waste including:
    • leaves
    • spent flowers and trimmings
    • small twigs
    • grass clippings
    BPI approved compostable items.
    DO NOT put in:
    • Trash of any kind including:
    • diapers and hygienic products
    • animal waste
    • wrappers and packaging
    • foam products
    • Recyclables including:
    • metal
    • glass
    • rigid plastic
    • beverage cartons
    • clean recyclable paper
    • cardboard

  • Recycle clean, mixed paper and cardboard with other paper products. If the paper is not plastic-coated and is food-soiled, it can be included in the brown bin. Plastic-coated papers should not be placed inside the brown bin.

  • Lining your countertop container ensures the bins can be fully emptied. You don’t have to, but if you don’t, make sure you empty your container fully and clean it out thoroughly. A double lined paper grocery bag works well or you can use BPI certified compostable bag liners. The drier the contents in the bin, the easier the bin empties, especially in winter and summer. Dry contents reduces odor and flies.em description

  • Food scraps and yard waste in the brown bin produce no more odor than when it’s put into the trash. In fact, frequently placing your food scraps and yard waste into the brown bin can reduce odors in your home. You can also store food scraps in the freezer to control odors until you are ready to deposit them into the brown bin.
    There are several other ways to avoid odors, such as:
    • Line your brown bin with a clear plastic bag (no black bags). Lining your bin helps to prevent food
    • From freezing to the bin in the winter and keeps odors down in the summer.
    • Absorb moisture in your brown bin by including dry materials, such as greasy pizza boxes, food soiled paper, pieces of shredded newspaper, leaves, or baking soda.
    • Keep the lid shut, and latch the bin after use.
    • Rinse the kitchen collector frequently. It is also dishwasher safe

  • Food waste is typically mixed with garbage and left on the curb in black bags overnight, where it is easily accessed by small mammals (like raccoons, opossums, rats, and cats), and bugs. Storing food waste inside rodent-resistant bins like those used for Curbside Composting deters these pests. If you do notice any signs of pests, be sure to do the following:

    Line your brown bin with a clear plastic bag (no black bags). Lining your bin helps to prevent food from freezing to the bin in the winter and keeps odors down in the summer.

    Absorb and avoid moisture in your brown bin by including dry materials, such as greasy pizza boxes, food-soiled paper, pieces of shredded newspaper, leaves, or baking soda.

    Keep the lid shut and latch the bin after use.

  • If you find fruit flies in your kitchen, you can place a small jar or cup of white vinegar on your counter. Be sure to keep the jar covered, but poke a holes in the top. Alternatively consider putting the bin in the fridge or freezer.

  • Show your bin some love. Some simple habits can help relieve some of the gross factor with composting and help your bin last longer. Good bin maintenance includes:
    • keep liquid out of your bin as best as possible
    • line with compostable bags/paper bags
    • rinse bin after being emptied
    • Sprinkle baking soda in bottom of bin to reduce smell and absorb liquid
    • Keep the bin out of the sun
    • Put meat/fish into a newspaper and wrap up like a burrito
    Bin Maintenance | Black Earth Compost

Have a question? Submit it below!