Since recycling took center stage in the 1990s, we’ve come to assume that everywhere we go, those blue bins will follow. This is largely true of residential areas, with recycling mandated and picked up by municipalities. However, what many people don’t know (or don’t think about) is the fact that recycling in work places is oftentimes not required by law. Furthermore, because private businesses arrange for their own waste pick up by a private carting service, so too must they see to it that their recyclables go to the right place.
In New York City, for example, Local Law 87 of 1992 required businesses to recycle corrugated cardboard, office paper, magazines, catalogs, phone books, and newspapers. This could be accomplished through “source separation” meaning that the materials are separated where the waste is generated ( in the office) or could be sorted post-collection by waste providers. Now, I’m sure that I’m not the only one who’s noticed that many businesses either source separate their materials only to see them to get dumped into the same bin at the end of the day. In some offices, materials aren’t separated at all, but the waste provider assures the business that the recyclables are sorted post-collection. One of the subjects of this blog will be exploring the success of post-collection sorting . Check back for updates!