Dive Brief:
- The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) expects to launch a new recycling program in 2015.
- The housing authority oversees more than 400,000 people living in 334 residential developments, and cites a lack of recycling as a persistent issue that has yet to be addressed effectively.
- A major problem for implementing effective recycling practices and proper containers is the shortfall of funding from the authority.
Dive Insight:
The authority’s deficit creates difficult choices for the NYCHA, and forces the authority to cover basic obligations first (such as safety, security, maintenance and repair) before addressing secondary needs like recycling. The agency currently spends more than $60 million annually to remove 445 tons of waste daily on its properties.
The New York Times released new figures obtained from a report finding that more than half of the housing facilities did not have recycling bins. According to Councilman Ritchie Torres, NYCHA has one of the lowest diversion rates within the city, even though the percentage of people residing in public housing tops 8%. He said the discrepancy could adversely effect the city’s overall diversion rate.