About the DSNY Bureau of Waste Prevention, Reuse and Recycling

The NYC Department of Sanitation's Bureau of Waste Prevention, Reuse and Recycling (BWPRR) plans, implements, and evaluates the Department's recycling, composting, and waste prevention programs.

The Fund for the City of New York  awarded BWPRR's Director, Robert Lange, one of the Sloan Public Service Awards  in 2010  (pdf) for his outstanding leadership in furthering NYC's various recycing programs and operations.

Summary of BWPRR Programs
recycling and waste prevention
composting
reuse programs
take it back, nyc & special waste
employment and business opportunities

Recycling and Waste Prevention

Public Education and Outreach: To further the NYC's recycle more, waste less message, BWPRR develops and distributes millions of pieces of promotional materials each year. BWPRR conducts site visits and participates in public events to help schools, residents, and city agencies/institutions improve their recycling programs.

Recycling Infrastructure: Once recyclables are collected by the NYC Department of Sanitation, they are brought to vendors contracted by BWPRR. Find out what happens to recyclables.

Recycling Research: BWPRR conducts research on various aspects of NYC's recycling program, such as waste characterization, public space recycling, food waste composting, and more. See Reports and Stats for more info.

NYCWasteLess Website: To keep New Yorkers informed of all the ways to recycle more and waste less in NYC, BWPRR created NYCWasteLess. The website was originally launched in 2004 and was redesigned in 2010. Promote NYCWasteLess on your website. Find out how to get listed on NYCWasteLess.

NYC's Recycling Game: To help educate New Yorkers about recycling and waste prevention while keeping them entertained. BWPRR created NYC's Recycling Game. The game was first launched as an iPhone®, iPad®, and iPod touch® app in 2011.

Apartment Building Recycling Initiative: The Apartment Building Recycling Initiative (ABRI) is a volunteer-based recycling improvement program targeted to tenants, superintendents, and building managers.

Golden Apple Awards: BWPRR's Golden Apple Awards include the following three school contests: TrashMasters! SuperRecyclers recognizes model school recycling programs; TrashMasters! Reduce & Reuse Challenge rewards innovative waste prevention practices; and TrashMasters! TeamUp to CleanUp honors neighborhood cleanup projects.

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Composting

NYC Compost Project: Funded and managed since 1993 by BWPRR, the NYC Compost Project provides compost education and outreach and  in all five boroughs.

Fall Leaf Collection: Funding permitting, Sanitation collects fall leaves from 37 of the City's 59 community districts and turns them into high-quality compost at our composting sites.

MulchFest and Christmas Tree Recycling: Through MulchFest , New Yorkers can bring Christmas trees to designated parks to be chipped. BWPRR also collects clean Christmas trees (no ornaments, lights, tinsel, etc.) from the curb so that they can be ground into wood chips to be used as mulch, or as a bulking agent to mix with yard waste to produce compost.

Distribution of NYC Compost: After turning yard waste into compost at Sanitation Compost Sites, BWPRR makes NYC compost available to city agencies and nonprofits for use in soil mitigation and habitat improvement projects.

Rikers Island Food-Waste Composting: The model institutional in-vessel food waste composting facility at Rikers Island accepts cafeteria waste from ten jails, five days a week.

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Reuse Programs

Reuse it NYC: Reuse it NYC summarizes the various NYC reuse programs for different sectors.

NYC Stuff Exchange: The NYC Stuff Exchange  is a quick and simple online tool to find out where to donate, buy, or sell gently used goods in NYC. Hundreds of listings are searchable by zip code, borough, or citywide. The website was launched in 2007, while the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch app  was launched in 2011.

re-fashioNYC: re-fashioNYC, launched in 2011, is a public-private partnership between the City of New York and Housing Works  to make clothing donation as easy as possible through convenient in-building drop-off service.

NYC Materials Exchange Development Program: To strengthen materials exchange activities in NYC, the NYC Materials Exchange Development Program  offers a range of assistance programs to local reuse and materials exchange organizations.

NYC WasteMatch: NYC WasteMatch  helps businesses and reuse organizations save money by providing a brokering service for furniture, packaging, and other surplus or used items that are potentially reusable, but for which there are not well-established recycling markets.

Materials for the Arts: Materials for the Arts  collects unwanted office equipment, furniture, materials, fabric, paint, and industrial by-products and makes them available to nonprofit cultural organizations, arts programs, and NYC public schools. The program is sponsored by the NYC Departments of Sanitation, Cultural Affairs, and Education.

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Take it Back, NYC & Special Waste

Take It Back NYC: BWPRR educates the public about various state and local legislative initiatives, as well as voluntary product stewardship programs.

Special Waste: BWPRR maintains five Self-Help Special Waste Drop-Off Sites (one in each borough) where NYC residents can drop off household and automotive batteries, motor oil, transmission fluid, fluorescent tubes and bulbs, latex paint, mercury thermometers and thermostats, and passenger car tires for proper disposal.

SAFE Disposal Events: BWPRR is conducting SAFE disposal events in each borough during the spring. These events allow NYC residents to safely dispose of their harmful household products, pharmaceuticals, and electronics.

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BWPRR Employment and Business Opportunities

Any job openings at BWPRR are posted on the NYC Job Opportunities  page on NYC.gov . For other positions with the NYC Department of Sanitation, see job opportunities  on the DSNY website.

Information is also available for businessess — especially Minority and Women-Based Enterprises — interested in doing business with DSNY or contracting with NYC.

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