Confusion Hurts NYC Recycling, Survey Contends

A survey conducted by Marist University and an accompanying report by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) charge that the confusion is hampering the program’s effectiveness and wasting money, the NRDC maintains.

NRDC’s report, “New York City’s Failing Public Education Campaign for Recycling,” which is based on the Marist survey, says the city has failed to make the recycling program understood since the recycling law was passed in 1989. It recommends that the City scrap its current ad campaign featuring animated cartoon characters and instead focus on ads teaching New Yorkers the specific recycling collection rules.

It also recommends that the City distribute its recycling poster to all New Yorkers annually and take other steps to boost public familiarity with the program’s details. “New Yorkers strongly support recycling, but are not getting the information they need to participate fully,” says Eric A. Goldstein, co-author of the report along with Megan Delany, an NRDC research associate.

Two-thirds of nearly 1,000 New York City residents questioned were unable to correctly identify eight of 12 household items as either recyclable or non-recyclable under the City's recycling program. The 12 items included recyclable trash such as aerosol cans, envelopes with windows, and wire hangers, as well as items not recycled in New York City’s program such as deli and salad bar containers, plastic bags and polystyrene products.

“Expanded recycling means little if citizens do not have the basic information they need to participate effectively in the program,” says Goldstein.