Talking Trash: Stats
- New York City residents currently recycle only about 17% of their total waste
- 7.5% of waste consists of plastic film such as supermarket bags.
- Clothing and textiles make up 5.7% of waste.
- 10,000 tons of residential trash are collected daily by the New York City Department of Sanitation
- 4 million tons of trash are generated every year by the city’s businesses.
Mayor de Blasio’s Zero Waste Challenge
The Zero Waste Challenge is part of the OneNYC plan to send zero waste to landfills by 2030. 31 businesses across all 5 boroughs are taking the challenge to dramatically reduce waste. So far the challenge has been successful with 13000 tons of waste diverted from landfills. The companies have been able to reduce waste by reducing packaging, switching to reusable materials, and converting to digital storage. One company eliminated coffee cups and bottles water by instead using reusable mugs and bottles. Another company removed all file cabinets and instead using a digital storage system. The challenge also cracks down food waste, requiring companies to donate leftover edible food to organizations who ensure food is used at shelters and food pantries. The average diversion rate of all challenge participants is 60%. Companies that have taken the challenge include Disney, ABC, Whole Foods, and Citi Field.
http://www1.nyc.gov/office-of-the-mayor/news/414-16/mayor-de-blasio-s-zero-waste-challenge-helps-business-dramatically-reduce http://www.nyenvironmentreport.com/talking-trash-12-things-worth-knowing-about-the-citys-waste-stream/
Sustainability in New York City - A Revolution 