Renee Chapman Walden University PUBH Environmental Health August 2010

Waste and Recycling Overview of New York City The Department of Sanitation of New York and the Bureau of Waste are responsible for waste export of refuse (trash) and recycling programs for the 8.2 million residents of New York City Private property service unions account for a segment of waste and recycling removal for the population of New York 11,000 tons (2,000 pounds= 1 ton) of refuse and recycling are collected each day Weekly 49,535 tons of curbside residential refuse is collected Bureau of Waste Prevention, Reuse and Recycling [nyc.gov] (2009) DSNY Annual Report. Retrieved from

Overview Continued “New Yorkers only recycle about half of what they could New York’s recycling rate fluctuates between 16% and 18%. “This rate needs improvement, but is not substantially lower than in other cities, and is typical of urban areas where multi-unit apartment buildings predominate”. ( Bureau of Waste Prevention, Reuse and Recycling [nyc.gov] (2010). Residential Refuse. Retrieved from

Waste from Apartment Complexes (Bureau of Waste Prevention, Reuse and Recycling [nyc.gov] (2010). Residential Refuse. Retrieved from

Recycling Improvement Target: Co-op City, Bronx NY Largest cooperative housing development in the world with 15,372 residential units and 236 townhouses Diverse and immense population (RiverBay at Co-op City (2010). Site Map. Retrieved from

Demographics of Co-op City “Co-op City's population is about 50,000 and the ethnic makeup rounds to 55% Black, 25% Hispanic (of any race) and 20% White (non-Hispanic)… well over 8,300 residents are above the age of sixty”. (google images (2010)Co-op City. Retrieved from (RiverBay at Co-op City (2010). Site Map. Retrieved from )

Current Situation in Co-op City Generates 40 tons of garbage a day Refuse and recycling handled by the 32BJ SEIU property service worker union Recycling area only located near trash chutes Minimal to no storage area for recyclable items Lack of information on recycling Lack of positive reinforcement or community initiative (Bureau of Waste Prevention, Reuse and Recycling [nyc.gov] (2009) DSNY Annual Report. Retrieved from ) (Service Employees International Union [SEIU] (2010) Who We Are. Retrieved from

Negative Effects on the Neighborhood More trash at pick up sites Higher number of pests due to more refuse Negative behavior passed on to younger generations, continuing cycle of not recycling Community based lack of concern

Recycling Plan for Co-op City Follow the guidelines provided by the NYDS Provide a larger and obvious recycling area Post signs in prominent areas promoting recycling Initiate recycling education programs in schools (google images (2010) recycling. Retrieved from

What Can Be Recycled and How Objects Glass bottles or jars Plastic Metal cans Newspaper Electronic Waste (Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] (2010). Recycling. Retrieved from Preparation Rinse, leave labels on, discard caps Flatten Tie together or put in a paper bag

Why Recycle? Protects and expands U.S. manufacturing jobs and increases U.S. competitiveness. Reduces the need for landfills and incineration. Prevents pollution caused by the manufacturing of products from virgin materials. Saves energy. Decreases emissions of greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change Conserves natural resources such as timber, water, and minerals. Helps sustain the environment for future generations. (Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] (2010). Recycling. Retrieved from

More Information g/abri.shtml#requirements g/abri.shtml#requirements

References Bureau of Waste Prevention, Reuse and Recycling [nyc.gov] (2010). Residential Refuse. Retrieved from Bureau of Waste Prevention, Reuse and Recycling [nyc.gov] (2009) DSNY Annual Report. Retrieved from Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] (2010). Recycling. Retrieved from New York 1 (NY1). (2010) Co-op City Building Workers Go On Strike. Retrieved from strike strike RiverBay at Co-op City (2010). Site Map. Retrieved from Service Employees International Union [SEIU] (2010) Who We Are. Retrieved from

Thank you and remember to recycle!