RE: [Educating Tomorrow] Signage for school recycling - milk cartons in BLUE bin
Most, Mary
I’m hoping this is a quiz question, like “Can anyone tell me: what is the capital of New York State?”
In case you really DON’T know: for the past 18 years, since 1995, DSNY has been collecting beverage cartons -- such as gable-topped milk cartons and aseptic boxes (juice boxes, soup, soy milk) -- for recycling in the same BLUE-labeled recycling bin along with plastic bottles & jugs, glass bottles & jars, any metal and foil.
For more info, please see our webpage ”Why NYC Recycles Beverage Cartons with Bottles and Cans”
at http://www.nyc.gov/html/nycwasteless/html/recycling/beverage_cartons.shtml
Maybe we should post a fun recycling question every week?
Mary Most
Public Information & Outreach Specialist
NYC Department of Sanitation
Waste Prevention, Reuse and Recycling
44 Beaver Street, 6th Floor
New York, NY 10004
t: 212.437.4661
f: 212.514.7812
e: mm...@dsny.nyc.gov
--------------------------------------------
recycle more, waste less!
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twitter.com/NYCrecycles (@NYCrecycles)
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From: educating...@googlegroups.com [mailto:educating...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Matthew Malina
Sent: Tuesday, March 19, 2013 12:16
To: educating...@googlegroups.com
Cc: aila...@gmail.com; Aaron, Marni
Subject: Re: [Educating Tomorrow] Signage for school recycling
Why are school cafeterias instructed to put milk cartons in the same recycling bin with plastic bottles?
Matthew Malina
Milk cartons are paper. Shouldn't they go to the paper recycling plant?
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Robert Lock
Cartons are on average, 74% paper, you can see the exact composition here.
It is however, effectively laminated paper. Pratt Industries does not have the technology to sort cartons out from mixed paper and cardboard, nor can laminated paper like cartons be recycled at Pratt because laminated paper is made to resist water. Water is integral to the process of recycling paper. For an insight into Pratt’s recycling process, click here to watch a short video.
Sims has the technology to sort cartons from other recyclables, bundle them, and send them to a processor where they can be “de-laminated” and the paper can be recycled.
Thank you,
Robbie Lock
Most, Mary
Much but not all of the paper collected in the city is handled by Pratt on Staten Island. Follow the link to PAPER RECYCLABLES on our webpage what happens to recyclables to see all our current local paper processors.
You are correct that Sims Metal Management handles all of the city’s metals, glass, and plastics. Beverage cartons go in the BLUE bin to be separated and sent to special processors, as explained on the webpage I linked you to earlier.
I am copying that webpage here:
* * * * *
Why NYC Recycles Beverage Cartons with Bottles and Cans
In its recycling program, NYC collects beverage cartons (such as gable-topped cartons and juice boxes) along with bottles, cans, metal, and foil because these items often contain remnants of food or liquids. Mixing these food-soiled items with paper and cardboard would cause the truckload of paper to become contaminated.
Before adding beverage cartons to its recycling program, the NYC Department of Sanitation consulted with its recycling vendors to determine the best way to collect this material. Sanitation decided to add beverage cartons to the bottle and can recycling stream (as opposed to the mixed paper stream) since this stream normally experiences the highest levels of contamination so could better tolerate the additional liquid residue.
After being collected by Sanitation trucks, beverage cartons, go with bottles, cans, metal, and foil recyclables to material recovery facilities that sort and separate the different types of recyclables into bales (see what happens to recyclables ). Bales of beverage cartons are then sent to special processors who can separate the layers of paper fiber and inner foil to reclaim these commodities.
* * * * *
Mary Most
Public Information & Outreach Specialist
NYC Department of Sanitation
Waste Prevention, Reuse and Recycling
44 Beaver Street, 6th Floor
New York, NY 10004
t: 212.437.4661
f: 212.514.7812
e: mm...@dsny.nyc.gov
--------------------------------------------
recycle more, waste less!
Follow us:
facebook.com/NYCrecycles
twitter.com/NYCrecycles (@NYCrecycles)
Sign up for Environmental, Recycling, & Waste Prevention e-news
* * * * * *
From: educating...@googlegroups.com [mailto:educating...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Matthew Malina
Sent: Monday, March 25, 2013 12:09
To: educating...@googlegroups.com
Cc: aila...@gmail.com; Aaron, Marni
Subject: Re: [Educating Tomorrow] Signage for school recycling - milk cartons in BLUE bin
Isn't paper recycled at the Pratt plant in Staten Island? Metals, glass and plastic are recycled at the Sims plant in NJ.
Milk cartons are paper. Shouldn't they go to the paper recycling plant?
On Monday, March 25, 2013, Most, Mary <mm...@dsny.nyc.gov> wrote:
> I’m hoping this is a quiz question, like “Can anyone tell me: what is the capital of New York State?”
>
> In case you really DON’T know: for the past 18 years, since 1995, DSNY has been collecting beverage cartons -- such as gable-topped milk cartons and aseptic boxes (juice boxes, soup, soy milk) -- for recycling in the same BLUE-labeled recycling bin along with plastic bottles & jugs, glass bottles & jars, any metal and foil.
>
> For more info, please see our webpage ”Why NYC Recycles Beverage Cartons with Bottles and Cans”
> at http://www.nyc.gov/html/nycwasteless/html/recycling/beverage_cartons.shtml
>
> Maybe we should post a fun recycling question every week?
>
>
> Mary Most
> Public Information & Outreach Specialist
> NYC Department of Sanitation
> Waste Prevention, Reuse and Recycling