NYC Mayor Bloomberg Sticks To Recycling Reduction Plan

Date: April 19, 2002

Source: News Room

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has announced plans to temporarily do away with most recycling in an effort to close a nearly $5 billion budget gap. Despite opposition, Bloomberg has stuck with the proposal in revised versions of the budget. Bloomberg would suspend the recycling of glass, metal and plastic for 18 months at an estimated savings of $56.6 million. The city collects more than 320,000 tons of recyclable glass, metal and plastic annually, but Bloomberg said it does the job inefficiently. Environmental groups say they are unaware of any major American city that has scaled back its recycling program. The cost of glass, metal and plastic recycling is $240 per ton, according to the mayor's office; simple trash disposal runs about $130 per ton, accounting for the savings. The city would continue its paper recycling program, which runs about $87 a ton.

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