Recycling Hero

Brooklyn residents can recycle a wide range of materials including paper, cardboard, metal cans, glass bottles, and most plastics labeled #1 through #7. Cartons such as milk and juice containers are also accepted in curbside recycling.

It is important to rinse containers before placing them in the recycling bin. Contaminated items can cause entire loads to be rejected at processing facilities. Check the NYC Department of Sanitation website for the most up-to-date list of accepted materials.

Organic waste recycling in NYC involves separating food scraps, yard waste, and food-soiled paper from regular trash. These materials are collected and processed through composting or anaerobic digestion facilities to produce nutrient-rich soil amendments or renewable energy.

Organics represent roughly one-third of the city's waste stream. By diverting this material from landfills, the city reduces methane emissions and lowers the cost of exporting waste to out-of-state disposal facilities.

Recycling conserves natural resources by reducing the need to extract raw materials from the earth. Manufacturing products from recycled materials typically requires less energy than using virgin resources, which means fewer greenhouse gas emissions and less air and water pollution.

Recycling also reduces the volume of waste sent to landfills and incinerators. Landfills produce methane, a potent greenhouse gas, while incineration can release harmful pollutants. Every ton of material recycled is a ton kept out of these disposal systems.

After curbside collection, recyclables are taken to materials recovery facilities where they are sorted by type using a combination of automated equipment and manual sorting. Metals are separated with magnets and eddy current separators, while optical scanners identify different types of plastic.

Once sorted, materials are baled and sold to manufacturers who use them as raw inputs. Paper goes to paper mills, metals go to smelters, and plastics are processed into pellets that become new products. The entire system depends on residents properly sorting their recyclables to keep contamination rates low.

Waste reduction starts before recycling. Choose products with minimal packaging, bring reusable bags and containers when shopping, and repair items instead of replacing them. Composting food scraps at home or through community drop-off sites keeps organic material out of the waste stream entirely.

Buying secondhand, donating unwanted items, and choosing durable goods over disposable alternatives all contribute to waste reduction. The goal is to move beyond recycling toward a circular economy where materials are kept in use as long as possible.

Brooklyn has numerous recycling drop-off locations for materials that are not accepted in curbside collection. Electronics, textiles, hazardous household waste, and bulk items each have designated collection points throughout the borough.

The NYC Department of Sanitation operates SAFE Disposal Events for hazardous waste and maintains a network of e-waste drop-off sites. GrowNYC runs food scrap composting drop-off locations at many greenmarkets and community sites across Brooklyn.