Beginning April 1, the city will resume recycling glass and return to weekly recycling collections, Mayor Bloomberg and John J. Doherty, Department of Sanitation Commissioner, said last week. Glass and plastic recycling was suspended in July 2002, but plastic was resumed July 2003 and all collections went from weekly to biweekly. Metal and paper recycling were never suspended.
The glass and plastic program was suspended because the city had to pay recycling vendors more than $100 per ton, and collections became biweekly because of budget constraints. Since the suspension, however, some vendors offered the city a better deal. Beginning April 1, all metal, plastic and glass collected by the sanitation department will go to the contracted vendor for $51 per ton, the commissioner said.
“We are delighted that our budget situation has improved to the point where we can also now resume weekly collections,” said Doherty.
