NYC Takes Aim at Plastic Bags

 Boro-Wide Recycling Corp.

Maspeth, NY 718-416-1656

www.BoroWideRecycling.com

Empty plastic bags have become the tumbleweeds of the big cities.  Walking down any block in a big city you are likely to see a plastic bag floating around somewhere, whether it is on the sidewalk or maybe just above the traffic of the street.  Some people are very careless with where they dispose their garbage.  New York City has had enough and are beginning to take action against these eye sores.  A new bill has been announced that aims to rid the city of these floating bags.  Under the proposed legislation, retail and grocery stores will begin to charge customers at least 10 cents per plastic bag used.  The same charge will be levied on paper bags, but it was made clear the plastic bags are the main target.

Currently New Yorkers use 5.2 billion carryout bags per year, and the city spends about $10 million annually to transport 100,00 tons of plastic bags to landfills in other states.  This bill looks to encourage the use of reusable bags, to try and reduce the amount of plastic that is being littered and disposed of without recycling. 

For more information on the bill that is in progress please visit http://goo.gl/dvQ896.

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NYC's Recycle Everything Campaign

Boro-Wide Recycling Corp.

Maspeth, NY 718-416-1656

www.BoroWideRecycling.com

New Yorkers already take a progressive approach toward recycling.  It is a task that is taken very seriously, especially in NYC.  There is always room to improve on our efforts, which is why Mayor Bloomberg is implementing the first major recycling campaign in 20 years.  He is encouraging New Yorkers to "Recycle Everything" in an ad campaign that he has slapped on subways, buses, newsstands, in newspapers and magazines, online and on the radio.  This campaign follows the recent expansion of the City's curbside recycling program in April and the launch of organics collection pilots across the five boroughs.  This is all in an effort of the main goal to double the amount of waste that New Yorkers divert from landfills by 2017.  Reaching this goal has added incentive, which will save taxpayers at least $60 million.

For your residential or commercial waste removal and recycling needs that cannot be picked up for curbside collection, contact Boro-Wide Recycling at 718-416-1656

For More information on the campaign please visit http://goo.gl/8P9JoE

Why some recyclables just dont mix

Boro-Wide Recycling Corp.

Maspeth, NY 718-416-1656

www.BoroWideRecycling.com

Not all plastics are created equal.  This has been evident to New Yorkers for some time now.  It is sometimes confusing trying to decide which plastics qualify for the recycling bin.  Some may not completely understand why they have to make this distinction.

The answer is polymers.  Different molecular structures, called polymers, determine all the properties of any given plastic.  Some plastics will melt at 325 degrees, while other may reach 720 degrees before they begin to melt.  Still other thermoset plastics, like desktop computer bodies do not melt at all.  Some plastics refuse to mix with other polymers when melted, which limits how they can be recycled and reused.  The main goal of recycling plastic is to reform the material into a new product, so recycling processors must take all of these characteristics into consideration when deciding which types of plastic they will accept at their facilities.  Recycling is a business like any other, and they weigh the costs against the benefits.  For example most cities do not accept Styrofoam because it is light weight, air filled and the transportation costs outweigh the economic benefits of recycling it. 

Separating your recyclables can be just as important as any part of your recycling process.  To learn more about the differences in polymer structures of plastic and how effects the way you recycle, please visit http://goo.gl/XSC1tM.

For any of your waste disposal and recycling needs, residential or commercial, contact Boro-Wide Recycling.  Like us on Facebook and Follow us on
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Seperating Your Food Waste May not Always Be Optional In New York

Boro-Wide Recycling Corp.

Maspeth, NY 718-416-1656

www.BoroWideRecycling.com

According to an article in the New York Times New York is preparing to create an ambitious plan to encourage residents and businesses to separate their food waste from other trash.  This will be initiated voluntarily at first, as they do with their paper, metal and plastics.  Mayor Bloomberg recently announced that the city will expand its pilot program for food waste recycling, in an effort to catch up to the 180 cities and local governments that already offer curbside pickup of food scraps.  Some of the most determined communities are moving toward less frequent garbage collection as they steer residents away from the conventional black trash bin.  San Francisco has already seen some success with food waste recycling which started on a voluntary basis but became mandatory in 2009.  They gave their citizens an incentive, by charging for trash pick up but not for recyclables.  Maybe New York will do something similar.  

Mayor Bloomberg announced some of the details of the planned expansion of the pilot food waste recycling program which is already taking place in schools, residences in Staten Island and select high-rises in Manhattan.  He also stated that food waste will  be collected in neighborhoods in Brooklyn this Fall and some neighborhoods in the Bronx by the Spring.

Expect to see changes in the way we recycle in New York coming soon.  For more updates like us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter.

Recycle Bowl Competition

Boro-Wide Recycling Corp.

Maspeth, NY 718-416-1656

www.BoroWideRecycling.com

Keep America Beautiful's recycling completion is back again.  The "Recycle Bowl" Competition encourages schools to compete against each other nation wide to see who can recycle the most.  With great prizes to motivate the kids, it has become a very successful annual recycling campaign. 

Registration for the third annual Recycle Bowl is now taking place, the competition runs from October 21st through November 15th.  Last year 1,500 schools participated in this competition to collect the most recyclable material, but also to learn about waste reduction and environmental responsibility through in-school recycling.  These schools included elementary, middle schools and high schools. 

Registration is open to all schools, public and private, in the U.S. at the Recycle-Bowl website recycle-bowl.org. 

Let us know what you think about this competition on our Facebook page.

One Man's Trash is Another Man's Treasure

Boro-Wide Recycling Corp.

Maspeth, NY 718-416-1656

www.BoroWideRecycling.com

In the Brazilian City of Belo Horizante a trend has began to form where individuals are collecting trash in order to create pieces of art. Catadores (trash collectors) are transforming any old disused material into furniture, jewelry and works of art. It was estimated in 2010 by the Business Commitment for Recycling association, that there were roughly one million catadores in Brazil, although only a small number work for cooperatives and organizations. 

 The ASMARE cooperative – which claims to be the first catadore cooperative in Brazil – has started programs and opened individual’s eyes to the benefits of recycling. Combining art sales and the money accumulated from selling recycled materials, an ASMARE worker’s monthly income now averages 1,700 Brazilian Reais (about $800). 

 Awareness of the movement has other organizations and artists taking to the streets to find new materials for their art endeavors and, has spread a new way of thinking that involves careful consideration before deciding to throw something away.  For more info on this new form of art please visit http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/12/world/brazil-catadores-trash-treasure
 
At Boro-Wide Recycling, we believe that recycling is very important because it can help create a greener planet! We pick up, haul away and carefully sort a broad array of recyclable waste materials. All construction and demolition, and recyclable materials collected are transported to one of our technologically advanced transfer or recycling facilities to make sure everything is processed according to the latest environmental regulations and standards.

Call us today at (718) 416-1656 to help you with your recycling.
Have any questions? Feel free to email us at info@borowiderecycling.com
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How to Recycle Your Old Computer

Boro-Wide Recycling Corp.

Maspeth, NY 718-416-1656

www.BoroWideRecycling.com

In an article posted by techsoup.org, there are tips listed on how you should recycle your old computer. It is important to safely and properly discard your old computer. This is because “75% of the fossil fuels and energy used by a computer are actually consumed during manufacturing. Extending the computer's lifespan through reuse means more return on that initial environmental cost.” Recycling your old computer ensures that valuable raw materials are recovered and that any waste is disposed of properly.

Here are 5 tips on how to recycle your old computer:

1. Can your computer be reused? If your computer is less than 5 years old, it can most likely be reused. “Extending the computer’s lifespan through reuse provides the highest environmental benefit of all electronics disposal alternatives.”

2. Donate newer equipment to a refurbisher. Refurbishers are well equipped to repair and upgrade older computers and they will ensure that the equipment works well. They will also make sure that any e-waste is disposed of properly.

3. Recycle older and broken hardware. Any equipment that is not working or is over five years old should go to “end-of-life” recycling, which means responsible destruction.

4. Remember the software, documentation, and accessories. You should include the mouse, keyboard, printer, modem and any other accessories that have been used with your computer. They can most likely be utilized by schools, charities, etc.

5. Make sure you clear your computer of all your personal information. In order to protect against any unauthorized use of personal information, you should use a disk-cleaning tool that removes all of your data from your hard drive.

For more information on how to recycle your old computer, please visit http://www.techsoup.org/support/articles-and-how-tos/ten-tips-for-donating-a-computer.

Have you ever recycled your old computer? Please let us know on our Facebook page or on Twitter!