A recent research study of consumer habits has shown that people typically have consistent recycling habits in the home setting, but efforts to decrease the amount of waste disposed can be impacted by lack of space, sufficiently large recycling bins, and labeling on plastic bottles, cans, and other materials indicating if they can or cannot be recycled.

While over seventy two percent of consumers surveyed say they regularly recycle in the home, only half have collection bin outside of the kitchen area. As a result, less waste materials that are generated in other parts of the home end up being recycled. The key solution to this problem is to have recycling containers placed throughout a residential structure in places such as the home office, bathrooms, workroom or garage, and gathering spaces such as a family room or recreational space.

For those consumers who recycle regularly, ten percent say it is because it is required in their community and over forty percent say it is because they care about reducing waste in landfills and helping to improve the environment. Consumers cite the most difficult part of recycling is lack of easy identification on packages, either through the universal use of the recycling symbol or other printed instructions. The study found that knowing quickly and easily if and how waste materials can be recycled would improve the amount of items successfully recycled.

WasteCare Wants Your to Remember: Knowledge and convenience go together when you are trying to increase your recycling rate at home or the office. Be sure to take the time to educate family and employees about what can and should be recycled and then make it easy for them to do so by placing recycling collection bins in key locations. In no time you’ll see your amount of waste decrease and your recycling increase!

Visitors, business owners, and residents in New York City will soon notice more designated recycling bins on city streets and public spaces in the coming weeks and months. City administrators have committed to doubling the number of public recycling bins and increased the number of locations for placement of bins.

The city is currently in the process of placing over one thousand three hundred brand new outdoor recycling containers. The effort is an initiative through the Department of Sanitation for New York City  with a goal of increasing the city’s recycling rate to thirty percent. The new deployment of bins will raise the number of public recycling bins to two thousand eight hundred with increased placement of recycling containers in public parks, high traffic sidewalks, sports and recreation venues, community recreational building and business districts throughout the municipality.

The increase in recycling comes after a long term analysis that much of the trash that many New Yorkers throw into garbage cans is recyclable: newspapers, plastic bottles, paper goods and cans. These items can be easily recycled but once co-mingled with other forms of garbage become contaminated and are no longer ideal for recycling.

The new recycling containers are visually appealing and designed for easy access. All new containers are silver with either a green top to indicate paper recycling or a blue top to indicate glass, plastic, metal, or waxed cartons.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: If you want your employees, customers, or residents to reduce their waste and improve their recycling, having more designated containers in high use or well traveled areas is essential. If you’re struggling to improve your recycling, changing the placement of containers, or adding few more might help you collect more and save more!

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has important resources for school administrators and building maintenance and construction personnel about the need to properly maintain and dispose of fluorescent lighting that uses polychlorinated biphenyls (commonly referred to as PCBs). Many older lights and their ballasts contain PCBs that can leak as they age, resulting in elevated levels of airborne PCBs. Elevated PCB levels due to old lighting does not cause an immediate threat, but could result in health concerns if allowed to persist over time.

In the past two years, over one hundred and fifty incidents of PCB leaks in schools have been reported to the EPA from buildings in the New York and New Jersey area. When exposed to high levels of PCBs over time, a number of serious health effects including cancer, and negative effects on the immune, reproductive, nervous and endocrine systems have been documented.

The EPA banned the use of PCBs in 1979, but fluorescent lights and their ballasts that were previously installed or purchased before the phase-out may contain PCBs and at this point in time are most likely leaking – exposing those who work or live near them to the harmful chemicals. It is strongly recommended that any PCB-containing lighting and their ballasts be safely removed from buildings to prevent environmental hazards.

In addition to removing a toxic hazard, updating lighting will result in an increase of energy efficiency by up to fifty percent over the old models. Schools and municipalities looking for information about energy savings and possible funding for removal of PCBs should visit the EPA’s Energy Star website.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: If you’re the facilities manager for a school, hospital, or older commercial or industrial building, make sure you’re aware of where old PCB lighting may be in your facility. In addition to keeping workers and students safe from toxins, you might be able to save on your energy bills when you upgrade to new, PCB-free models!