What day is my recycling day?
Find your recycling day by calling 311 or visiting the NYC Department of Sanitation’s website, click here and use the box labeled “COLLECTION SCHEDULE” on the right side of the page.

Where can I get decals for my recycling bins and information to put in my building?
Request decals and other recycling literature by calling 311 or visiting the NYC Department of Sanitation’s website, click here.  GrowNYC's recycling poster series is another tool for reminding tenants of NYC recycling rules and resources.  

Does New York City provide recycling bins?
New York City does not provide recycling bins for residents.  Use any labeled bin (preferably green for paper and blue for glass/metal/plastic) between 18-32 gallons or clear bag 13-55 gallons. Click here for info on proper bin labeling. 

What color bags should I use for my recycling?
Use clear bags for all recyclables—one for mixed paper and another formetal/glass/plastic. If you still have the blue bags (formerly used formetal, glass, and plastic recycling) you can phase out your supply,however you should no longer purchase these bags.

I’m a little bit confused about what to recycle, can you help?
Click here to get helpful tips for understanding NYC's residential recycling rules.  For a comprehensive listing of what to recycle in New York City, visit NYC Department of Sanitation’s NYC Wasteless site.

My apartment building doesn’t recycle.  Can you help?
Yes!  OROE is here to help buildings in our Outreach Districts set up effective programs.  Contact us to set up an appointment.  If you live outside our Outreach Districts we recommend contacting 311 and participating in the Apartment Building Recycling Initiative.

Why can’t I recycle any kind of plastic in NYC?
Not all plastics are created equal.  In NYC, we only recycle plastic bottles and jugs, which are abundant in our waste stream and for which there is a strong market.  Other types of plastics have weak markets for recycling into new products or are present in small quantities in NYC household waste.  Click here for more information from the NYC Department of Sanitation.

What do the recycling symbols with the numbers on plastic items mean for New Yorkers and our curbside recycling program?
The chasing arrows symbols with numbers inside them are actually the Society of the Plastics Industry resin identification symbols used to identify the type of plastic.  The numbers are not provided on plastic materials for consumers but are used within the plastics industry.   In New York City, residents are directed to recycle plastic bottles and jugs only.  Though more than 90% of bottles and jugs are #1 and #2 plastics, non-bottle shaped #1's and #2's are not accepted for recycling in NYC.  It is more accurate (and easier) to determine what to recycle by looking at the shape, which tells us the molding process by which a product was made, and is a better indicator of compatibility in the recycling process. Click here for more information on this topic.

Where can I recycle…?
Recycling resources for materials not covered by the curbside recycling program are constantly changing, please visit our resources page for information and check out our monthly e-newsletter.  You can also find information on the NYC Department of Sanitation’s NYC Wasteless page.

How is the Office of Recycling Outreach and Education different from the NYC Department of Sanitation?
The NYC Department of Sanitation, the world’s largest sanitation department, is the uniform service agency that keeps our city clean by effectively managing our 12,000 tons of residential and institutional refuse and recycling waste each day.  The Office of Recycling Outreach and Education is a program of the nonprofit organization, GrowNYC.  We work to increase participation in New York City’s curbside recycling program using a grassroots, community-by-community strategy. Our borough-wide Recycling Outreach Coordinators work to identify the specific challenges to recycling in a neighborhood and address those needs with targeted workshops for tenants and supers, community events centered on education, and special collection programs for textiles, electronics and compost.  Click here to make a donation.

Where can I find information about your clothing and textiles collections at local Greenmarket farmers’ markets?
Please click here for more information about our clothing and textiles collections.

The building where I work does not recycle.  Isn’t this required?
All commercial buildings and the businesses that inhabit them must have recycling programs.  Speak with your landlord or building manager for information on what and how to recycle.  Click here for more information on NYC's Commercial Recycling Rules.  

Are NYC schools required to recycle?
Like other city agencies in New York City, schools are required to recycle.  Learn more about the NYC DOE’s recycling goals and how every school is required to implement a sustainability plan.  Teachers, students, and parents may also visit GrowNYC’s Recycling Champions page for a complete school recycling tool-kit including checklists, guides, presentations, signs, and more.