INFORM Project Archive - Waste-Free NYC

Project Archive - Waste-Free NYC

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What's in New York City's Residential Waste Stream?

Waste Composition in NYC

Material	% of Waste Stream*	Tons of Material in Waste Stream**
Yard waste	4%	381.48
Other	21%	2002.77
Rubber, leather, textiles	6%	572.22
Food	15%	1430.55
Plastics	10%	953.70
Metals	5%	476.85
Glass	6%	572.22
Paper and paperboard	33%	3147.21
Total	100%	9537.00

*NYC Dept. of Sanitation, "Waste Composition Study," 1990, 21.
**Based on 9537 tons per day, after recycled materials have been diverted. NYC Independent Budget Office, "The Waste Stream Managed by the NYC Dept. of Sanitation," February 2001, 4-6.

Reclaimable Materials in NYC Residential Waste Stream After Recycling

UNCOLLECTED RECYCLABLES
Material	Annual (tons)*	Per Day**
Major appliances	16.081	51.54
Small appliances	8265	26.49
Clear HDPE jugs	4423	14.18
Milk cartons	5730	18.37
Aerosol cans	3737	11.98
Corrugated cardboard	46,050	147.60
Newspaper	108,272	347.03
Magazines	26,460	84.81
Telephone books	4388	14.06
Third-class mail	39,408	126.31
Metal clothes hangers	862	2.76
Non-deposit beverage containers	47,057	150.82
Office paper	42,760	137.05
Paper grocery bags	4976	15.95
Subtotal	358,469	1148.94

OTHER POTENTIALLY RECLAIMABLE MATERIALS
Material	Annual (tons)*	Per Day**
Carpets and rugs	25,464	81.62
Clothing and footwear	43,443	139.24
Towels, sheets, pillowcases	7055	22.61
Disposable diapers	65,439	209.74
Books	10,444	33.47
Paper towels	31,517	101.02
Paper plates and cups	9587	30.73
Polybags from dry cleaners	885	2.84
Hangers from dry cleaners	1437	4.61
Food waste	157,659	505.32
Plastic grocery bags	1600	5.13
Furniture and furnishings	82,760	265.26
Subtotal	437,290	1401.59

TOTAL	795,759	2550.51

* Total residential waste tonnages based on figures for combined commercial and residential waste in Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC), "Characterization of New York City's Waste Stream," Spring 2000, 11. Residential waste accounts for 38% of New York City's total municipal waste stream, per NYC Dept. of Sanitation, "Residential Recycling Diversion Report for Oct. and Nov. 2001," April 2002.

** Based on 312 collection days per year.

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