Oct 8 - NYC Organics Recycling Program Expands
Brooklyn is joining other NYC Boroughs as New York City’s organics recycling program continues to expand. The voluntary program began in Staten Island then moved to Manhattan. According to the New York Daily News, neighborhoods in Brooklyn and the Bronx are next to begin sending their food waste to be recycled rather than dumped in landfills.
"New York City spent over $85 million dollars in 2012 exporting organics to out-of-state landfills," Sanitation Commission John J. Doherty said in a statement. "By launching our organics collection program in Brooklyn, we will help the city reduce trash disposal costs and create compost — a valuable product that can be used to beautify city parks, community gardens, ball fields, and sold to area landscapers."
The organics recycling program is part of Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s plan to get New Yorkers to "Recycle Everything" before he leaves office at the end of the year. When the Staten Island pilot program showed early signs of success, NYC decided to expand it to the other four boroughs.
Food waste is the most prevalent item in the waste stream, and it continues to contribute to the production of methane, a powerful Greenhouse Gas, in landfills. Instead of throwing it in the trash, we should be composting organic waste or utilizing anaerobic digestion systems to create renewable energy.
Photo credit: Gowanus Canal Conservancy/New York Daily News