FACT SHEET
October 27, 2010
The Importance of Recycling Reform
In Buffalo, New York
Ryan Black
I.
The Problem
Why is it important to recycle?
It is important to recycle because of the environmental impacts
associated with waste. Recycling programs reduce greenhouse
emissions and save energy. According to the EPA, the United
States currently recycles 32.5% of municipal waste, thus
preventing the release of 52 million metric tons of carbon.i
What are current state regulations on recycling?
New York’s approaches to recycling
include the requirement of each
municipality to recycle, legislation that
addresses non-traditional recyclables, and
education programs regarding the
importance of recycling.
The state of New York passed a mandate
nearly twenty years ago requiring all municipalities to separate
waste into recyclable, reusable, and other components.ii The law
delegates the responsibility of recycling onto municipalities,
apparently on the theory that each local government is better
situated to address the issue of recycling than a state-wide entity.
The New York legislature recently passed the Electronic
Equipment Recycling and Reuse Act.iii This act is intended to
provide a greater opportunity for citizens of the state to recycle
electronic waste - a type of material that is recyclable but cannot be
discharged in the recycling bins of residents.iv Finally, people can
easily rid themselves of unwanted electronic material such as
laptops, televisions, and DVD players, while contributing to the
recycling and reuse process.v
The state also has implemented Green School Recycling programs
that teach our youth to recycle, while keeping our schools green.vi
For more information please visit the New York Department of
Environmental Conservation website at
http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/8803.html.
What are Buffalo’s laws regulating recycling?
Recycling in Buffalo is a major problem. Currently, residents
recycle only 10.5% of all their trash.vii While this number is a step
up from a previous recycling rate of 6.5%, Buffalo is still well
below the national average of 27%.viii
Buffalo currently observes typical recycling standards requiring
residents to separate their recyclables by plastics, tin, glass, and
paper.ix This method, however, will be replaced with single stream
recycling programs (Infra II.A.). Unfortunately, the current the
city’s recycling website is now outdated and lacks information
regarding Buffalo’s switch to the single stream method.x Instead,
the city has created a new website that specifically addresses single
steam use.xi This site is not accessible from the original Buffalo
Recycles! web page, though.
II.
The Solutions
What are possible solutions to recycling reform?
Single Stream Recycling - As a solution to
Buffalo’s weak recycling program, the city has
begun to implement a “single stream” recycling
program.xii The single stream program allows
residents to discard most of their reusable waste
into a single container, which is then collected and
brought to a site where the waste is sorted for
recycling purposes.xiii
Curbside Food Scrap Collection - Since single
stream recycling only accounts for up to 75% of
all waste, cities are left with the problem of
finding a solution that applies to the remaining waste.xiv One
answer is curbside food scrap collection. Using a separate bin for
food scraps allows the collection company to easily sort the food
scraps from recyclable properties and then bring the food scraps to
a processing plant which turns the organic material into compost
for soil.
What solutions have other cities implemented?
Single Stream Recycling - As of October of 2010 cities such as
Ann Arbor,xv Baltimore,xvi Boston, and Troyxvii have implemented
single stream recycling programs. While the full benefits of the
switch to single stream recycling are still unknown, since this
technology has only been recently implemented, cities that have
implemented this technology have seen a steady increase in
recycled materials.xviii
Curbside Food Scrap Collection - King County, Washington has
an extensive curbside food scrap collection program.xix The King
County program provides separate containers for its residents to
recycle non-traditionally recycled materials. Such materials
include vegetable and fruit trimmings, meats, fish and poultry
scraps and bones, plate scrapings, eggshells, coffee grounds, and
pizza delivery boxes.xx All of the above materials are prohibited
items in the single stream recycling program.xxi
While edible foods such as fruits and
vegetables can be discarded along with food
scraps, some communities also encourage
residents to save the edible foods they do
not use and give them to the poor.xxii
New York law does not mandate any
program resembling curbside food scrap
collection. Municipalities such as Buffalo
are not prohibited from enacting such laws,
though. Clearly, a curbside food scrap collection program would
complement a single stream recycling program very well.
III.
Implementation
How would the solution be implemented?
As discussed above, Buffalo is currently switching to a single
stream recycling program. Two necessary steps must be taken to
ensure a smooth transition: (1) an education program, and (2)
distribution of proper materials.
Buffalo Recycling Enterprises (BRE), the group responsible for
implementing this program, is in the process of constructing a
recycling education center.xxiii This center will provide
information to the public and increase the “awareness and
benefits” of recycling.xxiv
While the BRE center will provide a valuable service, I must say
their website is somewhat lacking. This site is meant to replace the
previous Buffalo Recycles! web site, but is not as comprehensive
as its predecessor.
The second component to implementation is the distribution of the
proper materials needed to make the transition to single stream
recycling. This second component may seem simple, but it must
be noted that the city will have to spend money to provide the
necessary baskets to its residents. City spending is a sore issue,
especially in Buffalo, but if the city makes an upfront payment
they will regain investment in a short period of time. It is
estimated that a slight increase in recycling rates by 1% would
save the city nearly $70,000.xxv
Implementing curbside food scrap collection will require a similar
effort to educate the public and provide residents with the proper
materials – neither of which should be difficult or cost-prohibitive.
What are the effects of the solution?
Implementing curbside food scrap collection
as a supplemental program to single stream
recycling would dramatically reduce the
amount of waste Buffalo produces. The city
of Buffalo could recycle over 75% of its
overall waste by merely implementing these
two programs.xxvi While no recycling
program will have 100% participation, this solution is so simple
that large-scale participation seems probable.
Both programs are currently used in a variety of cities across the
country.xxvii These programs are proven and can easily be used in
conjunction with one another. I have not found a municipality that
has implemented both systems, but, as explained above, they
seemingly go hand-in-hand. Implementing these programs is
relatively simple, will eventually pay for themselves, and could put
Buffalo’s recycling rate nearly two times above current levels.
i
Website of the Environmental Protection Agency:
http://www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/tools/localgov/basic.htm
ii
New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation website:
http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/294.html
iii
New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation website:
http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/65583.html
iv
Id.
v
Id.
vi
New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation website:
http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/8803.html
vii
The City of Buffalo’s website:
http://www.citybuffalo.net/files/1_2_1/buffalogogreen/earthday2010/templates/
buffalogoesgreen/WasteRecycle.html
viii
Id.
ix
Buffalo Recycles website: http://www.buffalorecycles.net/index.php
x
Id.
xi
Buffalo Recycling website:
http://www.buffalorecycling.com/Display.aspx?id=16
xii
http://www.citybuffalo.net/files/1_2_1/buffalogogreen/earthday2010/templates
/buffalogoesgreen/WasteRecycle.html
xiii
Id.
xiv
Buffalo Recycling website: http://www.buffalorecycling.com/
xv
City of Ann Arbor, Michigan’s website:
http://www.a2gov.org/government/publicservices/fieldoperations/solidwasteunit
/Pages/Single-StreamRecycling.aspx
xvi
City of Baltimore’s website:
http://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/Agencies/publicworks/recycling/singlestrea
m/
xvii
City of Boston’s website:
http://www.cityofboston.gov/publicworks/recyclingandsanitation/
xviii
Id.
xix
King County, Washington’s website:
http://your.kingcounty.gov/solidwaste/garbage-recycling/edible-food.asp
xx
Id.
xxi
Buffalo Recycling website:
http://www.buffalorecycling.com/Display.aspx?id=6
xxii
Id.
xxiii
Id.
xxiv
Id.
xxv
Buffalo Recycles website: http://www.buffalorecycles.com/v3/index.php
xxvi
Buffalo Recycling website: http://www.buffalorecycling.com/
xxvii
For single stream recycling see:
http://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/Agencies/publicworks/recycling/singlestrea
m/, for curbside food scrap recycling see:
http://your.kingcounty.gov/solidwaste/garbage-recycling/food-collection.asp
____________________________________________________________
Partnership for the Public Good
www.ppgbuffalo.org
237 Main St., Suite 1200, Buffalo NY 14203
____________________________________________________________