- Filed (End of Session)
History
Res. No. 84
Resolution calling upon the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to institute a public recycling program in all of its transit facilities within New York City.
By Council Members Williams, Rosenthal and Reynoso
Whereas, The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) does not provide separate recycling receptacles for paper, metals, glass, and plastic in the subway system, as the transit systems in cities such as Chicago, Washington, Boston, Montreal and San Francisco have done; and
Whereas, The Chicago Transit Authority provides newspaper recycling bins on more than 100 rail station platforms; and
Whereas, The MTA does provide recycling bins at many Metro-North Railroad facilities including newspaper collection bins at Grand Central Terminal and separate receptacles for commuters to discard newspapers, bottles, and cans at the majority of Metro-North stations; and
Whereas, The MTA performs post-collection separation of subway system refuse which includes picking through the trash after it is collected to separate recyclables; and
Whereas, Recyclables that are mixed in with food waste and other trash before being separated can lead to higher levels of contaminated recyclables; and
Whereas, Recycling has proven to be a relatively inexpensive and environmentally sound way to reduce waste; and
Whereas, New York City has implemented a public space recycling program throughout many communities in the five boroughs; and
Whereas, This program includes the collection of newspapers, magazines, mixed paper, metal, glass, and rigid plastic via over 1,500 specially marked receptacles on public sidewalks; and
Whereas, At present, thousands of newspapers and other recyclables are disposed of in regular receptacle bins containing trash in subway stations throughout the City every day; and
Whereas, Creating a separate recycling program for discarded newspapers and other recyclables in subway stations would further reduce the City's waste stream; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the MTA to institute a public recycling program in all of its transit facilities within New York City.
JM
Res309/2010
LS 297/2014