Use It One More Time Queens Recycling Checklist

Recycling is not only an earth-friendly way to manage waste – in New York City, recycling is the law. All three million households in the city, in addition to public schools and city offices, must obey the following recycling guidelines.

Mayor Mike Bloomberg temporarily suspended much of the recycling program during last year’s fiscal crisis, but since then mixed paper, metal and plastic recycling service have been fully restored.

According to a Department of Sanitation spokesperson, glass recycling will also be restored by April 1, 2004, though no other details about the glass program were available.

The recycling guidelines published by the Department of Sanitation can be found below. For more information, visit the Sanitation website at www.nyc.gov/sanitation or call the 311 hotline.

What NOT To Recycle
The following items should be placed with your regular trash:
• any glass items (until April 2004)
• certain kinds of plastics (such as deli and yogurt containers, Styrofoam, plastic toys and furniture)
Recycle ONLY designated materials; if you include the wrong materials with your recyclables, the whole bin or bag as will be collected as trash.

What To Recycle
Mixed Paper & Cardboard
Place in clear bags or GREEN-labeled recycling bins:
• newspapers, magazines, catalogs
• paper, mail, and envelopes
• telephone books and soft-cover books
• paper bags
• smooth cardboard (such as shoe boxes, cereal boxes with liners removed, cardboard tubes)
• corrugated cardboard boxes (flattened and tied in bundles)

Metal & Plastic
Place in clear bags or BLUE-labeled recycling bins:
• metal cans
• aluminum foil wrap and trays
• household metal (such as wire hangers, pots and pans, dried-out paint cans with lids removed)
• bulk metal (such as metal furniture, cabinets and appliances)
• plastic bottles and jugs (only plastic bottles and jugs; return 5¢ deposit containers to the store for refund)
• beverage cartons and drink boxes (milk and juice cartons, juice boxes)
Before discarding appliances containing CFC gas (such as refrigerators and air conditioners), NYC residents must schedule an appointment for the recovery of CFC.
Call 311 or schedule an appointment online at http://www.nyc.gov/html/dos/html/recycfc.html

A Brief History

Recycling began in New York City as a voluntary program in 1986. In July 1989, with the passage of Local Law 19, recycling became mandatory. In 1992, in response to the narrowing options for disposing of the City’s waste, the State approved the City’s Solid Waste Management Plan (SWMP).
Currently, the city picks up recycling every other week because of budget cuts. Starting in April 2004, however, the city will resume its original once-a-week pickups.