May 17, 2019

NEW ORLEANS — Today, the City announced that its curbside recycling program will continue; however; effective Saturday, May 18 in an effort to simultaneously improve the marketability of recycled items and reduce contamination, Plastics #3 through #7, wax board (juice boxes/milk cartons) and plastic bags will no longer be accepted by its collection contractors or at its Recycling Drop-Off Center on Elysian Fields Avenue.

Recently, Metro Services Group, one of the City’s collection contractors, received notice from its recycling processor, Republic Services, that it would suspend acceptance of items from residential, single stream, curbside collections effective May 17. Republic citied rising costs as a result of China’s ban on the imports of previously accepted types of recyclable materials and changes in contamination level requirements in the global market as the reason for the indefinite suspension.

This announcement required a rapid response by Metro Service Group to secure a change in processors. Although alternative arrangements were successfully completed, the suspension by Republic Services highlighted the current recycling situation on the national, regional and local level.

“We recognize just how important our recycling program is for our people and our city, so we worked alongside Metro, the local business community and our national resilience network to find a solution,” said Ramsey Green, Deputy CAO for Infrastructure and Chief Resilience Officer.

Recycling is facing significant challenges; however, it is important to recognize the environmental and economic benefits that result from refusing unnecessary items, reducing the amounts and types of items purchased and reusing items. Recent articles on recycling note that the majority of the material collected in recycling programs remains in the United States and are used for feedstock in the production of consumer goods.

Green added: “We must all do our part to reduce contamination to assist collection, processing and manufacturing companies until new and expanded markets are developed. Although contamination from our area has not exceeded generally acceptable levels, it can be reduced further.  It is our hope that these actions will assist in extending the life of the City’s recycling programs.”

GUIDANCE ON PREPARING YOUR RECYCLING FOR CURBSIDE PICKUP OR DROP-OFF

Items that will be accepted curbside during regularly scheduled collections include:

Plastics #1 (soda/water bottles) and #2 (milk/juice/shampoo/detergent containers);

Newspapers, junk mail, phone books, catalogs, office paper; corrugated cardboard, boxboard (cereal boxes/soft drink boxes);

Small aluminum and steel cans.

Citizens should not place their recyclables in plastic bags for curbside collection.

Items accepted at the Recycling Drop-Off Center on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month (next event: May 25, 2019):

Plastics #1 (soda/water bottles) and #2 (milk/juice/shampoo/detergent containers);

Newspapers, junk mail, phone books, catalogs, office paper; corrugated cardboard, boxboard (cereal boxes/soft drink boxes);

Small aluminum and steel cans;

E-Waste (computers, laptops, telephones/telephone systems, keyboards, speakers, telephone/computer cables, x-boxes, PlayStation, Wii, MP3/DVD/CD players, UPS, Circuit boards, Portable Navigation/GPS devices, ink jet/toner cartridges, digital cameras/video recorders (DVRs), fax machines, small printers, monitors, processors, networking equipment, stereos, security systems);

Batteries (AA, AAA, AAAA, C. D, 6 & 9 volt, Lithium); Light bulbs (Incandescent and fluorescent);

Televisions (Limit 4), Glass (Limit 50lbs.), Tires (Limit: 5); Mardi Gras Beads, and

Organics for Composting (fruit/vegetable scraps (peels, skins, pits, or seeds), tea bags, coffee grounds and paper filters, eggshells, nutshells, seed shells, plain bread, grains, and plan pasta (no toppings, meat bones, dairy or foods with oil).

Food and drink containers should be rinsed out before recycling. As always, Styrofoam, containers with food, and items stained with grease (i.e. pizza boxes) are not accepted in the curbside program or at the Recycling Drop-Off Center.

Please refer to Nola.gov/Sanitation for more information.