Recycling

Textile recycling, clothes, mattresses, rugs, etc., is challenging, generally not handled by municipalities. Other groups such as Planet Aid, are tackling it through donations, innovative methods.

The New York Association of Reduction, Reuse & Recycling finds only 15% of waste gets recycled. An Extended Producer Responsibility law could help reduce paper & packaging or have producers pay.

Environmental groups say the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act could save New Yorkers $1 billion in a decade by requiring companies to fund recycling and reduce harmful materials.

Plastic is everywhere, used widely in manufacturing and packaging. The waste is found all over the environment, even in our bodies. There are ideas to reduce and reuse plastic to lessen the impacts.

The goal is to reduce harmful greenhouse gases under the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. OCRRA says its waste-to-energy facility emits far less dangerous emissions than landfills.

The New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) wants the state to include wine, spirits, hard cider, and other non-carbonated beverages in the bottle deposit program while doubling the deposit from 5 to 10 cents.

New Yorkers are expected to throw out some 40 million pounds of wrapping paper and ribbon this year. Learn how to recycle it correctly.

The bill would cut the amount of plastic packaging in consumer products in half over a period of twelve years, and step up recycling efforts. It faces fierce opposition from the plastics industry.

Onondaga County has a "good reputation" rates in the recyclables market, according to OCRRA, thanks to low 'contamination' rates.

About 10,000 carts will be delivered to households this spring in certain neighborhoods.