The NYC Department of Sanitation’s
Residential and Street Basket 2004-2005 Waste Characterization Study included a
close study of 156 randomly selected multi-unit apartment buildings to better
understand what physical characteristics of an apartment building lead to
recycling “success” as measured by its capture, diversion, and
contamination rates. Not only did we collect and sort all the refuse and
recyclables from these buildings, but we also surveyed them for their
characteristics such as number of floors, elevator, chute, etc. Using
multiple regression analysis, we found that one of the strongest indicators of
recycling success was the pairing of trash bins with partner recycling bins in
the common areas of the building.
According to our research, for each refuse
bin without an available recycling bin nearby, the diversion rate in the
building fell by 1.5%.
The strongest indicator of recycling
success was clearly labeled recycling bins and a clearly labeled recycling area
in or outside the building, which increased the diversion rate by over 7%.
For more information on this study, visit www.nyc.gov/wasteless
and click on “What’s in NYC’s Waste” under Useful
Info on the right hand side of the screen.
Eve Martinez
Outreach Specialist
____________________________
recycle more, waste less!
NYC Department of Sanitation
Bureau of Waste
Prevention, Reuse and Recycling
44
Beaver Street, 6th Floor
New
York, NY
10004
t: 917.237.5667
f: 212.514.7812
e: emartinez@no.address
w: www.nyc.gov/wasteless