To: Nadine Ramsey, Councilwoman, Chair of Public Works, Sanitation and Environment Committee and City Council New Orleans
Recycle 'Dat
Councilwoman Ramsey and other Honorable Council Members:
We the undersigned call on the City Council to expand New Orleans' free curbside recycling program immediately. You must increase eligibility of the program to include larger residential developments, restaurants, hotels and bars. We call on the Council to implement a special recycling and sustainability program aimed at increasing recycling and reuse, and decreasing the volume of waste that ends up in landfills during the 12-day Mardis Gras celebration.
Thank You
Why is this important?
The City of New Orleans generated approximately 302, 7261 tons of solid waste in 2013. This amount does not include the amount of solid waste during Mardis Gras alone, which is estimated to be as high as 8,000 tons.(2) Much of the waste generated annually and during Mardis Gras includes recyclable materials including glass, aluminum and cardboard containers .
However, due to the limited free recycling program currently in place, too much of these recyclable materials ends up in landfills. Currently, only residential developments with four units or less and some small businesses are eligible to participate in the City’s free curbside recycling program.(3)
Restaurants, Hotels and Bars as well as many commercial businesses are not eligible for participation.(3) During the 2010 Mayoral election, recycling was one of the top campaign issues. While measures have been taken since then, these measures do not go far enough and it’s costing the City environmentally and economically. For instance, due to the low rate of recycling, savings from landfill tipping fees are minimal -- approximately $150,000 per year. However, if recycling rates approached those of San Francisco, the annual savings on tipping fees would reach into the millions.
Therefore, we the undersigned beseech the City Council to expand the City’s free curbside recycling program immediately. We urge the Council to increase eligibility of the program to include larger residential developments, restaurants, hotels and bars. And finally, we call on the Council to implement a special recycling program for the 12-day Mardis Gras celebration. New Orleans is a city of many great traditions; you can add a new tradition of sustainability and stewardship by acting now.
Thank You
1. Based on EPA Solid Waste Generation Rate of 4.38 lbs/person/day: http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/nonhaz/municipal/index.htm and an estimated 2013 population in New Orleans of 378,715 from the United States Buerau of the Census: http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/community_facts.xhtml
2. Earth 911, Whose Taking Care of the 8,000 Tons of Trash From Mardis Gras, 2010.
http://www.earth911.com/living/art-entertainment/whos-taking-care-of-the-8000-tons-of-trash-from-mardi-gras/