In the streets of New York, it’s hard to avoid these huge mounds of black plastic bags that clutter the sidewalks. In winter, the snow has trouble hiding them. The summer is worse, the accumulation of household garbage on the ground attracts rats. In many ways, the collection and recycling of garbage in America’s largest city is somewhat anachronistic. It is true that the challenge is colossal: every day, New York households generate 12,000 tonnes of waste, which the city’s 2,500 garbage trucks must evacuate.
Of this total, only 15% is recycled. Initiatives were launched at the end of the 1990s. However, following the stock market crash and the attacks of September 11, 2001, most programs were frozen for lack of resources. Aware of the accumulated delay, Michael Bloomberg decided, at the end of his third term (ended December 31, 2013), to work harder by setting himself the goal of recycling a third of the garbage by 2017.
An objective not questioned, for the moment, by his successor as mayor, Bill de Blasio. To achieve this, the city has acquired new means. A position of responsible for sustainable development was created eighteen months ago and a first sorting center was inaugurated on December 16.
It was time. Because New York is one of the poor performers in terms of recycling. Los Angeles, San Diego, Portland or San Francisco manage to recover – by recycling or transforming into energy – between 65% and 75% of their waste. By way of comparison, in France, this rate is 72%.
“It’s hard to compare the West Coast or any other city with New York when it comes to waste, explain to World Ron Gonen, New York’s new recycling manager. We have over 8 million people, the two largest business districts in the United States, 50 million tourists a year, and the oldest building stock in the country. In fact, we have the most complex waste treatment in America. If we are successful, any city will be able to duplicate our program ”, he assures.
CONSTRUCTION OF A SORTING CENTER
But, before serving as an example, New York must prove itself. Thanks to the construction of its first sorting center, after ten years of negotiations, the city now has a leading tool. Located in Brooklyn, on the banks of the East River, this site, operated by the Australian group Sims Metal Management, is capable of sorting 1,000 tonnes of glass, metal or plastic per day, making it the largest the United States.
Part of the waste will be transported to Brooklyn using barges, which should avoid each year the 400,000 km traveled so far by trucks to transport New York waste to other states such as Ohio or Carolina North. A manipulation that has cost the municipality 330 million dollars (241.5 million euros) per year until now. However, Brooklyn’s capacity will remain insufficient, and part of the material will be processed in the neighboring state of New Jersey.
The other side of the city’s recycling policy is to work on collection. Because in Manhattan buildings, there is still no differentiated sorting for glass and plastic. “We have launched a recycling program for all rigid plastics, another for organic waste and a third for electronics and textiles”, insiste M. Gonen.
Regarding organic waste, the program is still modest. Launched in 2013, it currently only concerns 30,000 households. A figure which should however triple this year. At the same time, the deployment of this program is planned for 300 schools. From 2015, restaurants and food shops will also have to sort their organic waste.
A THOUSAND OF RECYCLING BINS ONLY
Efforts are also to be made on the public highway. In 2012, New York had barely a thousand urban recycling bins (out of a total of 25,000). Since then, 500 more have been installed, which is not much compared to a city like Seattle, fourteen times less populated and which has more than 700.
Finally, New York will also have to tackle professional waste, which represents a volume more than twice that of that generated by individuals.
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