Waste Disposal Guidelines
Glass, Metal, Rigid Plastic, and Beverage Cartons
EMPTY + CLEAN
Beverage Cartons
Glass Bottles and Jars
Metal, Cans, Aluminum Foil
Rigid Plastic
Mixed Paper
CLEAN + DRY
Newspaper, Magazines, Paper Bags
Cardboard
Mail, Paperboard, Printer Paper, Folders
Trash
Plastic Film, Wrappers, Plastic Bags*
Foam Products
Coated Paper
Organics
Food-Soiled Paper**
Plant Trimmings
Food Scraps
Coffee Grounds and Tea Bags
UNACCEPTABLE MATERIALS
Bulky Goods
Batteries
Fluorescent Bulbs
• •
• •
• •
Textiles
Electronics
Liquids
*Unless your business is covered by NYS Plastic Bag and Film Wrap law **May only be incidentally accepted depending on processor
STEPS TO A LEGALLY COMPLIANT AND SUSTAINABLE Waste Management Program 1 UNDERSTAND YOUR RESPONSIBILITY
Your business is legally required to source separate, recycle, and/or specially handle numerous waste material types, as detailed in the following steps. Review this document to ensure your business is following all applicable waste management rules, and to avoid fines from the NYC Department of Sanitation (DSNY). The Property Management team and Great Forest consultants are here to ensure you have all the appropriate information available to you. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Property Management or Great Forest at recycling@greatforest.com.
2 WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO BE COMPLIANT
A recycling program . A program within your space to collect common recyclables separately from trash. DSNY requires the following material types to be separated for recycling:
Cardboard
Metal (all kinds)
• • •
• • •
Mixed Paper (clean) Glass (bottles and jars)
Plastic (all rigid types)
Beverage cartons
The following infrastructure is required for a compliant waste collection program:
Bins. Enough bins to collect all recyclable materials separately from trash. Great Forest recommends establishing three-bin stations with designated bins for mixed paper recycling, glass-metal-plastic-carton recycling, and trash in lieu of deskside bins. Bags . All recycling bins must be lined with clear bags or collected loose within collection equipment. As a best practice, trash should be collected in black, opaque bags. Cardboard must be flattened and buddled, baled, or bagged in clear liners. Labels . Labels on all waste bins clarifying which materials go where. Recycling bin labels must specify accepted materials (i.e., glass, metal, plastic, and beverage cartons). You may choose to: • Use DSNY labels • Purchase Recycle Across America labels • Create your own labels Signage . Detailed signage posted in all areas where recyclables are routinely generated, including all customer, staff, storage, and maintenance areas. Signage must indicate which materials need to be separated and how those materials are being collected or stored. Contact Great Forest for signage templates.
3 ADDITIONAL
Organics: Under the NYC Organics Law (LL146, 2013), designated establishments are required by law to separate their organic waste. For more information about specific designated establishments, follow this link. When implementing an organics program, install additional bins at waste disposal stations dedicated to the separate collection of organic waste. Containers must have a label and be included on all program signage. Textiles. If textiles, such as fabric scraps, clothing, linens, belts, bags, and/or shoes, represent 10% or more of your waste stream during any month, you are required by law to separate and recycle this material for the whole year. To check if you are eligible for a free NYC textile recycling program, visit nyc.gov/refashion. Yard and Plant Waste . If yard and plant waste, such as grass clippings, garden debris, leaves and/or branches, represent 10% of your waste stream during any month, you are required by law to separate and recycle this material for the whole year. This material must be set out separately from all other material. Construction and Demolition. Construction and demolition waste must be set out separately from trash and recycling. Check with BIC to ensure your hauler is authorized to collect this material.
WASTE DIVERSION PROGRAMS
Bulk Waste. Coordinate with a qualified recycling vendor for all bulk items over 50% metal or plastic.
4 KEEP REGULATED WASTE STREAMS OUT OF THE TRASH
Hazardous, Universal, and Electronic Waste
Electronics, batteries, spent bulbs/ballasts, and other products that contain harmful chemicals like mercury, are hazardous to the environment and are not legally permitted to be discarded with the regular trash or recycling streams.
Tenants must safely dispose of rechargeable, auto, or other hazardous batteries, thermostats, light bulbs, and electronics using specialty, licensed vendors. Property Management can assist in arranging safe storage and removal of these items.
5 BE MINDFUL OF
Commercial Waste Containerization. For businesses that handle their own waste hauling contract and set out waste loosely on the curb for collection: • Starting March 1, 2024, ALL businesses in NYC must use bins with secure lids when setting out trash for collection • As of September 5, 2023, ALL chain stores with five or more locations in NYC must use bins with secure lids when setting out trash for collection. • As of August 1, 2023, ALL food-related businesses in NYC must use bins with secure lids when setting out trash for collection. All trash, food, and food-soiled paper must be in a bin with a secure lid when set out at the curb for collection. The requirement does not apply to recyclables (metal, glass, plastic, or clean paper and cardboard).
OTHER SPECIALTY WASTE REGULATIONS
5
BE MINDFUL OF OTHER SPECIALTY WASTE REGULATIONS (CONTINUED)
Skip the Stuff! Effective July 31, 2023, New York City food service establishments* providing take-out and delivery service must comply with these restrictions: • Do not provide utensils, condiment packets, napkins, or extra containers to take-out or delivery customers unless requested by the customer. • Your online ordering and delivery apps must not provide these items by default. You must provide customers with the option to request these items only if you offer them. • Delivery and courier services may not provide these items unless such items are requested by the customer. *NOTE: These restrictions do not apply to self-serve stations inside a food service establishment. 2021 Plastic Straw Restriction . Effective November 1, 2021, food service establishments (including businesses, agencies, and institutions) may no longer offer: • Plastic straws that are not compostable, except upon request of the customer • Splash sticks and stirrers made of plastic. Food service establishments must maintain a sufficient supply of single- use plastic beverage straws that are not compostable and provide these, free of charge, to any person who requests one. Self- serve stations must display a sign at each station that states: “Plastic straws available upon request.” Signs are required to be unobstructed , at least two inches by seven inches, and no less than 20-point font. 2020 NYS Plastic Bag Ban . Beginning March 1, 2020, the distribution of plastic carryout bags is prohibited by law in the state of New York, with limited exceptions. In New York City, all businesses covered by the ban must charge a five-cent ($0.05) fee on paper bags. Civil penalties will be imposed under New York State Law for violations. The NYS DEC began enforcement on October 19, 2020. 2019 NYC Foam Ban. As of January 1, 2019, single-service foam items are banned from possession, sale, or use in NYC. These include foam takeout containers, foam cups, foam packing peanuts, foam plates & bowls, foam trays, and foam coolers. All non-compliance points will be subject to DSNY fines.
6 RETHINK YOUR WASTE
Layout . To encourage compliance, Great Forest strongly advises tenants to omit all deskside bins and install centralized, multi-bin systems for all applicable waste streams in convenient locations throughout the space.
INFRASTRUCTURE & RECYCLE RIGHT
Consistency. Reduce the opportunity for cleaners to confuse bins and cause contamination by using consistent bins and colors.
7
DONATE OUTLIVED OR UNWANTED ITEMS
When it comes time to update furniture or IT equipment, instead of discarding these items consider donating them to a non-profit or charity. Not only will these items stay out of the landfill or incinerator, but they will also find new homes and grateful recipients. Great Forest has an extensive network of nonprofits and charities that accept a wide variety of items for donation and will be happy to assist you with finding a new home for your unwanted items.
8 THINK BEYOND RECYCLING AND MOVE TOWARDS ZERO WASTE
The simplest and most effective way to manage your waste is not creating it in the first place. Prioritize waste reduction and reuse efforts within your space and set a Zero Waste goal for your workplace. Making a new product requires extensive materials and energy – raw materials must be extracted from the earth, the extracted materials fabricated, then the final product transported to wherever it is sold. Reduction and reuse strategies promote opportunities to limit the creation of new products – saving natural resources, saving money, and reducing environmental impacts!
Reduction and Reuse Strategies include:
• Setting double-sided printing as the default. When buying printer paper, prioritize recycled content.
• Switching from disposable plates and cutlery to chinaware and metal (durable) cutlery to reduce single-use wastes.
• Bringing a travel mug for coffee to minimize the generation of single-use cups.
• Developing and/or implementing an Environmentally
Preferable Purchasing (EPP) policy that follows the waste hierarchy (supplying rechargeable batteries for electronic devices, for example).
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