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2016 Excellence Award Entry Communication, Education and Marketing Tools NYC Department of Sanitation

NYC zerowaste Apartment Recycling Tools

TITLE 2016 Excellence Award Entry

CATEGORY Communication, Education and Marketing Tools

ORGANIZATION New York City Department of Sanitation

CONTACTMarni Aaron [email protected] | 212-437-4654

ENTRY TITLE NYC zerowaste Apartment Recycling Tools

JURISDICTION New York City

POPULATION 8.5 million

COST PER HOUSEHOLD

(Cost for the production of print

materials per enrolled household, since each

program’s inception)

Total $0.28

re-fashioNYC $0.03

e-cycleNYC $0.25

High-Rise NYC Organics Collection $0.003

BUDGET

Total $350,000 (2011-present)

re-fashioNYC $175,000 (2011-present)

e-cycleNYC $149,000 (2013-present)

High-Rise NYC Organics Collection $18,000 (2014-present)

Executive SummaryIn NYC, 67% of residential buildings are apartments with 10 or more units, housing 3.4 million of the City’s 8.4 million residents.

The City’s recycling programs—run by the NYC Department of Sanitation (DSNY)—must target apartment buildings to reach its

goal of sending zero waste to landfills by 2030.

Through e-cycleNYC, re-fashioNYC, and High-Rise NYC Organics Collection, DSNY makes it convenient for people living in

apartments to recycle their electronics, textiles, and organics—items not collected in DSNY’s mandatory curbside recycling

program.

To improve the success of these programs, DSNY created innovative, multi-lingual materials to encourage building managers to

enroll, and then to teach building residents how to participate.

DSNY’s unique materials for apartment buildings include targeted mailings; a building manager brochure in English and

Spanish; customizable flyers, signs, and posters in English, Spanish, and Chinese; and annual digital newsletters that provide

each building with its specific diversion statistics.

High-rise buildings in New York City

1


Researchre-fashioNYC

In New York City, textiles (linens, towels, blankets, curtains, clothing, and other apparel) make

up approximately 6% of NYC’s overall waste stream, or about 200,000 tons per year. Over the

years, DSNY tested a number of ways to divert textiles from the waste stream, including setting

up a web-based interactive database of over 800 local organizations where residents could

donate their used goods, and organizing neighborhood drop-off events.

The large tonnage still going to landfills confirmed that a more convenient donation option was

necessary. DSNY launched “re-fashioNYC” in 2011 to provide participating apartment buildings

with convenient donation services at no cost to the building or taxpayers. The program

operates in partnership with Housing Works, a nonprofit organization that funds lifesaving

services for low-income and homeless New Yorkers living with or affected by HIV/AIDS.

e-cycleNYC

While electronics make up less than 1% of the overall waste stream in New York City, it

is a growing portion of the hazardous waste stream. Given the high toxicity of electronic

components, this is an important material to target. In 2010, with the passage of New York

State’s Electronics Equipment Recycling and Reuse Act, it is no longer legal for DSNY to

collect electronics at the curb. Manufacturers of electronic equipment are required to provide

New York consumers with opportunities to properly and conveniently recycle their obsolete

electronics.

New York City’s urban residents primarily rely on public transportation. Over 50% of NYC

residents have no access to a vehicle. To bridge this convenience gap for NYC residents, in

2013 DSNY created “e-cycleNYC” in partnership with Electronic Recyclers International—an

e-scrap processing firm.

In both the re-fashioNYC and e-cycleNYC programs, larger apartment buildings receive a

container that is kept in a common area to collect residents’ items. When the bin or container

is full, the building coordinator calls or emails for service. Unless they choose to do so, tenants

do not need to store items in their own apartments.

High-Rise NYC Organics Collection

A third of NYC’s waste stream is organic material—food scraps, food-soiled paper, and yard

waste. Food scraps are the largest source of methane emissions from landfills, making this

an important material to divert from disposal. NYC is expanding programs to recycle organic

waste through a combination of curbside collection and drop-off programs. The material is

composted into a fertile soil amendment or turned into renewable energy through anaerobic

digestion.

High rise buildings pose unique challenges to managing an organics recycling program. DSNY

works with building managers through an enrollment process to create a plan for managing

separated organics, to educate residents, and to train staff. With a plan in place, DSNY

provides buildings with special heavy-duty brown bins, along with educational materials, on-

site training, and coupons for compostable liners.

Electronic waste

Food waste

Textile waste

2


Planning and Goal Settingre-fashioNYC

The goal of all of our re-fashioNYC educational materials is to encourage

NYC apartment residents to recycle their textiles.

We planned to create a large collection of print and online materials for

re-fashioNYC. We needed different materials to accomplish specific

purposes and reach various audiences, including materials to encourage

enrollment, materials to educate new participants, and materials to

continuously keep residents engaged. Each tool that was produced, from

program implementation to the present, contributes to the comprehensive

suite of materials that support DSNY’s textile recycling program.

Launch strategy & materials: re-fashioNYC’s initial strategy involved

an integrated partnership between DSNY and Housing Works. Each

organization is dependent on the other to build and maintain the

reputation of the program. Housing Works’ role is to install and service the

bins, market the collected textiles, and report diverted tonnages. DSNY

supervises enrollment, conducts outreach, and promotes the program.

re-fashioNYC is financially sound and self-sustained; all funds generated

from clothing donations are dedicated to program expansion. For all

materials, our contracted print vendor provides us with an estimate before

we proceed, to ensure we stay within the allocated budget.

When DSNY first launched re-fashioNYC, our goal was to recruit 50

buildings per borough in the first full year of the program. We wanted to

market the program in stages, to avoid overloading the program capacity

too early in implementation. We started by targeting buildings enrolled

in an existing DSNY program: Apartment Building Recycling Initiative

(ABRI). After reaching all ABRI buildings, we targeted major residential real

estate management companies serving NYC. If we still had not enrolled

50 buildings per borough, we planned to send out targeted mailings to

apartment buildings with 50 or more units. After reaching the target of 50 buildings in any borough, we recruited additional

buildings through the use of mass mailings. The audience for these mailings was very broad: all residents of NYC apartment

buildings.

Recruitment & training materials: After buildings enroll in re-fashioNYC, we needed to provide materials for the building

representative, generally building managers or superintendents. Knowing that building managers already have large

workloads, we wanted to depict the program as simple and easily manageable, so they would encourage building residents

to participate. This meant creating materials to support building managers as they set up re-fashioNYC in their building.

We determined that the best way to communicate with the building managers was via on-site outreach. For each building

that enrolls in re-fashioNYC, our outreach staff would visit the site and inform building managers of all the educational

materials available for both them and their residents.

In addition to simplifying the program, we wanted to brand the programs to make them easily identifiable, for both building

managers and residents. DSNY and Housing Works worked together to come up with a distinct style for the program, that

we could use for all our new materials.

Housing Works delivers bins and picks up clothing

3


Resident education & engagement: After getting building managers on board, we needed to provide educational materials

for residents—letting them know how to participate in their building.

To keep residents engaged, we planned to send out regular online newsletters. Such newsletters allow us to stay in touch

with participants, provide program updates, and notify participants of their textile contributions.

Customization & expansion to other languages: Every building setup and every set of building residents are unique. During

the initial site visit, the building receives a recycling review, and our outreach staff provides suggestions for how to set up

re-fashioNYC within that building. We wanted the opportunity to tailor our materials to each building setup. To do this, we

planned to create customizable print materials, allowing building managers to provide specific instructions to their residents.

We also wanted our materials to accommodate all building residents by offering information in multiple languages.

e-cycleNYC

Launch strategy & materials: Our overall goal for e-cycleNYC is to provide

convenient e-waste recycling options for NYC residents. The role of our

partner, Electronic Recyclers International (ERI), is to manage operations

and DSNY’s role is to manage enrollment. The contractual relationship with

ERI allows all revenues to be used for the annual promotion of the program,

as well as for the general recruitment of more participants. For all printed

materials, our contracted print vendor provides us with an estimate before

we proceed, to ensure we stay within the allocated budget.

e-cycleNYC’s launch had a unique challenge: the New York State

electronics disposal ban, which became effective Jan 1, 2015. Once

electronics recycling became mandatory, we expected higher levels of

building enrollment. We adjusted our timeline to release the program and

set our goal to enroll 500 buildings in the first year following the statewide

ban.

Recruitment & training materials: After buildings enroll in e-cycleNYC,

we needed to provide materials for the building manager. We wanted to

depict the program as simple and easily manageable, as well as helping

them avoid fines for residents improperly discarding electronics. This meant

creating materials to support building managers as they set up e-cycleNYC

in their building.

In addition to simplifying the program, we wanted to brand the programs

to make them easily identifiable, for both building managers and residents.

DSNY and ERI worked together to come up with a distinct logo and style

that we could use for all our new materials.

Resident education & engagement: Similar to re-fashioNYC, we wanted

to provide personalized service for our electronics recycling program, so we

used the same methods to educate and engage residents.

Customization & expansion to other languages: Based on our experience

with re-fashioNYC, we wanted to create similar customizable print materials

and offer materials in multiple languages.

ERI delivers bins and picks up electronic waste

4



Launch strategy & materials: Organic waste makes up nearly one-third of everything New Yorkers throw out at the curb.

DSNY’s NYC organics collection pilot program focused on small, one- to nine-unit residential buildings, which are most likely

to have the space and buy-in for successful participation. However, as part of the three-year pilot, DSNY planned to enroll

more than 15,000 households in larger buildings with 10 or more units, to test how such a program might work in the high-

rise buildings where half of New Yorkers live.

DSNY and its nonprofit partner, GrowNYC, recruited residential high-rise buildings to voluntarily apply for and enroll in NYC’s

organics collection service. This building-by-building approach was necessary because organics separation in high-rise

building stock requires strong commitment on behalf of building management and staff to properly maintain organics bins

and educate tenants on how to participate. Interested buildings go through an enrollment process, including site visits and

training, to determine if a building is prepared to manage source-separated organic waste. Buildings recruited for organics

collection service often already participate in either re-fashioNYC or e-cycleNYC.

Recruitment & training materials: In NYC, large buildings typically have garbage chutes on every floor to send trash to

centralized compactors. Green and blue recycling bins for paper and for metal, glass, and plastic are located near chutes

or in central locations. Residents separate their recyclables, and building staff carry it out to the curb the night before

collection day. It’s a routine that NYC janitors, porters, and on-site managers know well. Adding organics to this arrangement

is challenging. We needed to provide materials to streamline organics collection for building managers and add it to their

standard recycling routine.

Resident education & engagement: We allowed building staff to design their own systems for managing organics. In most

cases, they elected to situate the brown organics bin in communal areas where residents had to bring their food scraps.

Basements, storage rooms on ground floors, lobbies, and behind building areas were popular placement points for the brown

bins. We planned to create tools to help residents easily find their building’s bins.

Customization & expansion to other languages: Using our experiences from the other two established apartment

programs, we decided to make similar customizable and translated materials for High-Rise NYC Organics Collection.

Brown bins in an apartment building basement

5


ImplementationSince each program launched at a different time, we created materials as needed for each program. We developed launch

and recruitment materials at the start of a program, but developed educational and customizable pieces later on. As the

programs expanded, we started looking at them as three connected apartment programs, and created matching materials to

connect them for participants.

re-fashioNYC

Launch strategy & materials: In Spring 2011, DSNY sent

out a mailing to 3.5 million residential addresses, encouraging

apartment buildings residents to join re-fashioNYC. We

recruited buildings through a mailing containing a program

brochure and an invitation letter.

In 2015, we sent out an additional mailer to boost

participation of all of our apartment programs. We identified

management companies and buildings with over ten units,

and sent out over 40,000 mailers across the City.

Currently, re-fashioNYC uses an outreach brochure aimed

at people interested in joining. It explains the basics of the

program, which buildings are eligible, and how to enroll.

Recruitment & training materials: We provided “bin

footprints,” a piece of fabric finished to the actual size and

shape of the bin. Prior to installation, DSNY’s outreach staff

would place the footprint around the building to find the best

location. As a new program, the branded fabric helped make

our staff seem more legitimate.

To identify our staff, a combination of people from DSNY and

Housing Works, we produced re-fashioNYC branded hats.

Building managers recognize the logo and branding, and

know the assistance and support comes from our reliable

staff and volunteers.

e-cycleNYC

Launch strategy & materials: In 2013, we sent a specific e-cycleNYC mailer to 12,000 apartment buildings, for a total cost

of $10,000. In 2015, to boost participation, we sent out a joint e-cycleNYC and re-fashioNYC mailer. We mailed out 40,000

brochures to management companies and buildings with over ten units.

To continue to encourage enrollment, e-cycleNYC also uses an outreach brochure aimed at people interested in joining. It

explains the basics of the program, which buildings are eligible, and how to enroll.

Recruitment & training materials: To copy re-fashioNYC, we produced a matching e-cycleNYC bin footprint. The full-sized

footprint helped building managers determine the best location for the bin. We also produced e-cycleNYC branded shirts and

hats for all DSNY and ERI staff and volunteers.

re-fashioNYC mailer

bin footprint for re-fashioNYC and e-cycleNYC

6


For e-cycleNYC, we produced a “How To” brochure that provides very detailed information for building managers and

superintendents. The brochure helps them fully understand the program, how to set up the bins, when to call DSNY for

a pick-up, and what happens to the electronics recycled. Based on our research and site visits, we determined that the

brochure needed to be in English and Spanish. We also produced an e-cycleNYC business card for building managers.

They keep the card handy to have all the information needed for quick and easy pick-ups.


The development of materials for high-rise organics was different than our other two apartment programs. High-Rise NYC

Organics Collection is a combination of a voluntary apartment program (like e-cycleNYC and re-fashioNYC) and a regular

recycling program (for mandated recyclables such as paper, metal, glass, and plastic). Buildings need to enroll, but the

organic bins are generally located near the regular recycling bins.

Launch strategy & materials: In order to make a distinct “high-rise” organics program (separate from DSNY’s more robust

low-rise organics program for smaller buildings with one through nine units), we developed a corresponding informational

brochure that matches the other high-rise programs. With its creation, we have a suite of brochures that clearly explain all of

DSNY’s apartment enrollment programs.

Recruitment & training materials: Building on the success of e-cycleNYC’s superintendent brochure, we produced a “How

To” brochure for how to participate in organics collection. This trilingual brochure (in English, Spanish, and Chinese) fully

explains the program and how to use the brown organics bins, when to place them at the curb for pick-up, and how to set

out extra yard waste.

Resident education & engagement: Our NYC Organics Collection program provides New York residents with free heavy

duty brown bins with secure latches. These bins help contain organic waste, reducing odors and pests within buildings and

on the curb. We created indoor decals to be placed on the brown bins that explain to residents what items can go in the bin.

The indoor decals match the blue and green decals that building managers affix to their recycling bins for paper and for metal/

glass/plastic.

Customization & expansion

to other languages: For non-

English speakers, we created

organics bin signs in Spanish

and Chinese that go directly

above the bins. These match

the decals, listing all food and

plant waste items that can go

in the brown organics bin.

Program brochures for re-fashioNYC, e-cycleNYC, and High-Rise NYC Organics Collection

Organics decal and bin signs in English, Spanish, and Chinese7


re-fashioNYC, e-cycleNYC, and High-Rise NYC Organics Collection

In Fall 2015, we finalized the full suite of materials for our three apartment programs: e-cycleNYC, re-fashioNYC, and High-

Rise NYC Organics Collection. We updated existing materials to match, and created new materials based on what our

audience needed.

Resident education & engagement: Each program has matching letter-size signs and 14’x18’ posters, displaying the same

information in two different sizes. We tell supers to place posters throughout the buildings, ideally one on each floor. The signs

and posters help promote the programs to building residents and visitors, proudly announcing their participation. They have

a blank space for supers to write in their own building-specific instructions. For each program, the print pieces displayed

throughout the building match the style of the program’s bin, helping residents identify and connect all parts of the program.

This BuildingRecycles Electronics through e-cycleNYC!

How To Participate

Keep harmful materials out of the waste stream by recycling your electronic equipment.

nyc.gov/ecycle

ECD-BS: E-CYCLENYC BUILDING SIGN 8.5X11, 2015.12

NYCzerowaste

Carefully place electronic devices into bin.

tablets/ e-readers

mobile phones

MP3 players

printers/ scanners

TVs monitors computers laptops

fax machines keyboards mice hard drives

small servers VCRs/DVRs/ DVD players

video game consoles

cable/ satellite box

NO appliances NO loose batteries NO light bulbsPlease visit nyc.gov/wasteless for information on how to recycle in NYC.Appliances: nyc.gov/wasteless/appliances Batteries: nyc.gov/wasteless/batteries

Light Bulbs: nyc.gov/wasteless/lighting

Donate:

This bin is the property of Electronic Recyclers International, Inc.

This BuildingParticipates in re-fashioNYC!

Bin Location

Donate clothing, shoes, accessories, linens, or towels.

nyc.gov/refashion

Your tax-deductible donations help reduce NYC’s waste. All proceeds fund lifesaving services for low-income and homeless New Yorkers living with or affected by HIV/AIDS.

RFD-BS: RE-FASHIONYC BUILDING SIGN 8.5X11, 2015.12

NYCzerowaste

This BuildingReceives NYC Organics Collection!

How To Participate

Join your neighbors to keep food scraps, food-soiled paper, and yard waste out of landfills and deter pests in your building.

nyc.gov/organics

OC-HR-BS: ORGANICS HIGH-RISE BUILDING SIGN 8.5X11, 2015.12

NYCzerowaste

Each program sends out an annual newsletter to all participants. The newsletters accomplish two goals— keeping

residents informed of their waste diversion contributions and engaging participants with new information. The newsletters

are personalized for each building manager, with specific data on the tons of textiles, electronics, or organics their building

collected in the previous year and since joining the program. The newsletters also provide helpful participation tips and

reminders.

Building posters for re-fashioNYC, e-cycleNYC, and High-Rise NYC Organics Collection

Email newsletters for re-fashioNYC, e-cycleNYC, and High-Rise NYC Organics Collection

8


Customization & expansion to other languages: We developed customizable flyers for each apartment program. Each

flyer explains an overview of the program to residents whose building is enrolled—what it is, why it’s important, and how to

participate. When building managers order flyers, they can type in specific instructions on how the program works in their

building, which is then printed on the flyer.

Customizable pieces are beneficial because of the large array of building stock in NYC. In addition to apartment buildings,

other buildings (commercial buildings, offices, and private schools) can also enroll in re-fashioNYC. Each building space is

unique, so there are countless possible program set-ups. By allowing building managers to write in specific instructions,

tenants receive more details, making it easier for them to dispose of their products. For example, building managers have

used the following text:

• Please bring your e-cycleNYC items down to the laundry room & place them in the designated area.

• Please bring any acceptable items to your building concierge so they can be properly discarded for you.

Concierge is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

After the programs started to

reach a broader population,

we translated the signs,

posters, and customizable

flyers into Spanish and

Chinese.

Distribution: After a building

enrolls in one of our programs,

they receive an email from

our apartment program staff.

The email contains a list of

all printed and customizable

materials available, and

requests quantities needed

for their buildings. We place

the first order for the building

managers, and provide them

with a link to order more

materials in the future.

To make electronics recycling convenient and environmentally sustainable, New York City launched e-cycleNYC in partnership with Electronic Recyclers International, an industry leader in responsible electronics recycling. See nyc.gov/ecycle for more info.

Why Recycle ElectronicsElectronics often contain lead, mercury, and other hazardous materials that can leech into the environment if not properly discarded. Responsibly recycling electronics keeps these hazardous materials out of the waste stream.

Starting in April 2015, it will be illegal for New Yorkers to discard electronics in the trash. Participating in e-cycleNYC enables our building to comply with this law by providing a convenient way for our residents to discard their electronics.

What Happens to Stored DataYou can remove data from the electronics prior to discarding. Any remaining data will be fully erased as part of the recycling process.

What Happens to the Electronics CollectedAll electronics are recycled domestically using the strictest environmental standards available.

How To Participate

is Enrolled in e-cycleNYC!

tablets/ e-readers

mobile phones

MP3 players

printers/ scanners

TVs monitors computers laptops

fax machines keyboards mice hard drives

small servers VCRs/DVRs/ DVD players

video game consoles

cable/ satellite box

Appliances: If predominantly metal or rigid plastic, recycle these with other metal and plastic recyclables, otherwise discard as trash.

Loose Batteries: Bring rechargeable batteries to any store that sells them, such as a pharmacy, office supply, or hardware store. Rechargeable batteries may contain mercury, cadmium, lead and other heavy metals which can be dangerous if not disposed of properly. Alkaline batteries can be discarded in the trash. Standard alkaline batteries are not considered hazardous waste, since they no longer contain mercury.

Bulbs: Double-bag before discarding in the trash. Alternatively, compact fluorescent bulbs can be dropped off for free recycling at any Home Depot, IKEA, Lowes, or other participating retailers. CFLs and other fluorescents can be brought to any of NYC Department of Sanitation’s Household Special Waste Drop-Off Sites or upcoming SAFE disposal events.

What is Accepted

What is NOT AcceptedNO appliances NO loose batteries NO light bulbs

Please visit nyc.gov/wasteless for information on how to recycle in NYC.

Appliances: nyc.gov/wasteless/appliances Batteries: nyc.gov/wasteless/batteries

Light Bulbs: nyc.gov/wasteless/lighting Donate: nyc.gov/stuffexchange

NO appliances NO loose batteries NO light bulbs








ECD-RESFLY: ecycle Digital Resident Flyer 11.15

nyc.gov/ecycleNYCzerowaste

RE-FAS-RF: RE-FASHIONYC RESIDENT FLYER 11.15

What is Accepted

Donate from home! re-fashioNYC provides a free, convenient, and sustainable way for NYC residents to reuse and recycle clothing and textiles by permanently siting a bin in apartment buildings. See nyc.gov/refashion for more info.

Why Recycle ClothingEvery year NYC residents throw away approximately 200,000 tons of clothes, towels, blankets, curtains, shoes, handbags, belts, and other textiles and apparel. Using the re-fashioNYC bin reduces textile waste and supports needed social services.

What Happens to the Clothing CollectedYour donations support Housing Works’ mission to serve those affected by homelessness and/or AIDS.

Donations are sorted at the Housing Works warehouse in Queens and sold at Housing Works Thrift Shops or Buy-the-Bag store. Some of the leftover donations are shipped to other nonprofit thrift stores. The rest are sold to a textile merchant for recycling. No material is sent to a landfill!

How To ParticipateSimply bag your clean donations (clear plastic bags preferred) and put them in the bin. Tax receipts (for up to $250) are available directly on the bin.

Bin Location

women & men’s clothing children’s clothing purses, gloves, scarves, hats & belts

shoes & boots towels & curtains bedding & linens clean rags & torn clothing

[Building name]is Enrolled in re-fashioNYC!

nyc.gov/refashionNYCzerowaste

Para que el reciclaje de equipos electrónicos sea conveniente y amigable con el medio ambiente, la Ciudad de Nueva York lanzó e-cycleNYC en asociación con Electronic Recyclers International, un líder de la industria en el reciclaje responsable de equipos electrónicos. Visite nyc.gov/ecycle para más información.

Por qué reciclar los equipos electrónicosLos equipos electrónicos a menudo contienen plomo, mercurio y otros materiales peligrosos que se pueden filtrar al medio ambiente si no se desechan adecuadamente. El reciclaje responsable de equipos electrónicos mantiene estos materiales peligrosos fuera del flujo de desechos.

Comenzando en abril de 2015, será ilegal para los ciudadanos de Nueva York desechar los equipos electrónicos en la basura. Participar en e-cycleNYC le permite a nuestro edificio cumplir con esta ley ofreciendo una manera conveniente para que nuestros residentes desechen su equipos electrónicos.

Qué ocurre con los datos almacenadosUsted puede remover los datos de los equipos electrónicos antes de desecharlos. Los datos restantes serán completamente eliminados como parte del proceso de reciclaje.

Qué ocurre con los equipos electrónicos recolectadosTodos los equipos electrónicos son reciclados en el país utilizando los estándares ambientales más estrictos posibles.

Cómo participarConsulte con la administración de su edificio o superintendente.

¡Este edificio participa en e-cycleNYC!

tabletas/ lectores de

libros electrónicos

teléfonos celulares

reproductores de MP3

impresoras/ escáneres

TVs monitores computadoras portátiles

máquinas de fax teclados ratones discos duros

servidores pequeños

VCRs/DVRs/ reproductores

de DVD

Consolas de videojuegos

Cajas de cable/ satélite

Electrodomésticos: Si son predominantemente de metal o plástico rígido, recíclelos con otros elementos reciclables de metal y plástico, de lo contrario deséchelos como basura.

Pilas sueltas: Traiga pilas recargables a cualquier almacén que las venda, tal como una farmacia, tienda de artículos de oficina, o ferretería. Las pilas recargables pueden contener mercurio, cadmio, plomo y otros metales pesados que pueden ser peligrosos si no se desechan adecuadamente. Las pilas alcalinas se pueden desechar en la basura. Las pilas alcalinas estándar no se consideran desechos peligrosos, dado que ya no contienen mercurio.

Bombillos: Colóquelos en doble bolsa antes de desecharlos en la basura. De manera alternativa, los bombillos fluorescentes compactos se pueden dejar en cualquier Home Depot, IKEA, Lowes u otros comercios participantes para que sean reciclados de forma gratuita. Lámparas fluorescentes compactas (CFLs) y otros elementos fluorescentes se pueden traer a cualquier Sitio de Entrega de Desechos Domésticos Especiales del Departamento de Sanidad de NYC o eventos próximos de desecho SAFE.

Qué es aceptado

Qué NO es aceptadoNO appliances NO loose batteries NO light bulbs












EC-RF-SC: ECYCLENYC RESIDENTIAL FLYER -SPANISH/CHINESE, 01.16


平板電腦/ 電子閱讀器

移動電話 MP3播放器

打印機/掃描機

電視機顯示器計算機筆記本電腦

傳真機鍵盤鼠標硬盤

小型服務器磁帶錄像機/數字錄像機/ DVD播放機

電子遊戲機有線電視/衛星電視盒














Resident flyers in English, Spanish, and Chinese for

re-fashioNYC, e-cycleNYC, and High-Rise NYC Organics Collection

The English version is customized to show the building’s name and

bin location

9


Obstacles

We ran across three obstacles while producing these materials.

Rebranding: Since e-cycleNYC, re-fashioNYC, and high-rise NYC Organics Collection

began at different times, the programs were disconnected. Each program’s print materials

were originally created depending on what was anticipated at the time, and we would create

new materials as we identified new needs. We rushed to produce materials and launch the

programs, which resulted in each program having very separate styles. Our recent major

update of materials involved a redesign to brand all the programs as DSNY. They now fit

together as a trio of our apartment programs. This encourages additional participation for

buildings only enrolled in one program; they can easily recognize the related programs and

know they will receive the same high-quality service. We rebranded the materials in Fall 2015

when we hired additional outreach staff, so all newly enrolled buildings will receive matching

pieces.

Translations: The process for translating print materials into Chinese involved sending them to a vendor for translation, and

having a DSNY employee who was a native speaker review the translations. The translator and the reviewer often disagreed

on the Chinese characters used. We realized this was because the translator wrote in Traditional Chinese and the reviewer

wrote in Simplified Chinese. We had to determine which version to include in our materials. We looked at the practices of

other City agencies who deal with translation more often: the Department of Education and the Board of Elections, who both

use Traditional Chinese. We moved forward with production, using Traditional Chinese for all of our materials.

Statistics: In January 2016, we updated all three digital newsletters. The more established programs, e-cycleNYC and

re-fashioNYC, had recorded statistics on the tonnage collected per building, which we sent out to residents. The newest

program, high-rise organics, doesn’t have per building statistics, because the organic waste from all buildings along a truck

route is collected in one truck, and the whole truck is weighed at the end of the truck route. This newsletter couldn’t match

the other two so we had to come up with a new way to personalize the newsletter. We wanted to include tonnage for each

community board, but the data available wasn’t extremely accurate. We decided to include tonnage for each building’s

borough. While this was not the most personal information, it showed the high amount of organics recycled, and we reminded

residents that they helped contribute to that waste diversion.

Opportunities

Trainings: With the uptick in enrollment requests after the statewide electronics ban, we

began providing e-cycleNYC trainings in February of 2015. The trainings replaced the need

for a site visit to each building. Managers of multiple buildings could attend a single training

and get enrolled at a faster rate. Trainings covered all of the information that was previously

presented individually at a site visit. We provided samples of all the print materials available

for e-cycleNYC in the trainings.

Cost Savings: When we rebranded our materials, we looked for opportunities to reduce

costs. We previously printed customizable flyers, signs, and posters in three languages.

When we started this, we didn’t have a sense of the costs, as we had never printed fillable

materials before. After looking at the costs and usage, we decided to make fewer pieces

customizable. We continue to customize the English flyers, but on the Spanish and Chinese

flyers we simply say, “Check with your building management for instructions.” On all of the

updated signs and posters, we have a blank box and tell building managers to write in their

building-specific information. The signs and posters originally ran between $1.50 and $3 each.

Since our updates, multilingual signs now cost $ 0.50 and posters are $1. The English signs only

cost $0.11 and the posters are $0.60.

Organics flyer pre-rebranding

e-cycleNYC training

10


We determined that the English flyer was the most important piece to keep customizable because it goes into more detail

than any of the other materials. In addition, supers generally order large amounts, and it would be onerous for them to write

the building-specific information on hundreds of flyers, compared to 10 posters. In addition, we receive a discount for printing

flyers in bulk.

• 1-100 flyers cost $1.50 each

• 101-3,999 flyers cost $1 each

• 4,000 flyers cost $0.80 each

• 5,000 flyers cost $0.60 each

Budget

We work with a vendor, Vanguard Direct, to print all of our materials. Vanguard is contracted by the City. Their contract

requires a cost estimate in order to proceed with printing, so we can ensure we stay within the allocated budget. Once

we produce the artwork for a piece, we provide the details to Vanguard (including specs and print quantity), and Vanguard

provides a cost estimate. The table on the following page lists the final costs and quantity of each printed piece. Since we

always work in this way, none of our expenses exceeded the budget. We did not need to leverage other projects to make

available funds go farther.

Comparison to Similar Tools

These tools are an improvement over our past print and digital materials, and are an improvement over comparable tools in

other big U.S. cities. We compared DSNY’s apartment materials with those from three other cities: San Francisco, Chicago,

and Los Angeles. Compared with them, DSNY provides more materials overall. By providing brochures, decals, flyers, signs,

posters, and more, we make it easier for the public to enroll in the programs, and make it easier for residents and building

managers to understand how to participate. Our materials cover more types of solid waste—no other city researched has

educational print materials about recycling electronic or textile waste. Lastly, our materials are easier to access; our online

order form allows residents to find exactly what they need. NYC has the most high-rise buildings in the country, and we

provide the materials to support our apartment building programs.

San Francisco, a city that leads the country in environmental issues, has similar materials. They have customizable materials

available in English, Spanish, and Chinese. But, their materials only cover their standard recycling (which includes paper,

metal, glass, plastic, and organics). There are no printed educational materials for residents about electronics or textile

recycling.

Chicago, the U.S. city with the second most high-rise buildings after NYC, has private haulers for multi-unit residences. The

city requires that each building manager, property owner, or other person responsible must develop a written recycling plan

that includes education and outreach for residents. They provide sample flyers, posters, and other outreach materials targeted

at high-rise building residents.

Los Angeles, with the third most high-rise buildings, had free materials available for multi-family homes in English, Spanish,

and Korean. In addition, they have flyers available explaining how to dispose of harmful household waste, but not including

electronics.

We majorly improved upon our previous materials. We rebranded to match all three programs, cut costs while providing the

same amount of customizable pieces, and incorporated feedback from outreach personnel. To improve our service delivery to

apartment buildings, DSNY’s public education unit teaches new employees how to order and customize materials, making the

process easier and faster. We used our knowledge from other DSNY projects to improve our apartment program materials.

For example, when updating the apartment program newsletters, we adapted the template that we developed for our

agency’s rebranded “NYC zerowaste” newsletter. For all of our high-rise organics materials, we replicated our successes from

the low-rise organics collection materials.

11


Item Total Quantity* Total Cost

All Apartment Programs Mailer 53,000 $11,308.00

re-f

ashi

oN

YC

Citywide Mailer 3,365,695 $107,702.24

Program Brochure 110,000 $8,692.25

Bin Footprint 3 $243.00

Hats 5,000 $38,940.00

Sign (English) 3,231 $676.50

Sign (Spanish, Chinese) 1,000 $500.00

Poster (English) 1,108 $919.00

Poster (Spanish, Chinese) 1,000 $1,000.00

Newsletter 4 $3,034.25

Flyer (English, Custom Print) 8,680 $13,020.00

Flyer (Spanish, Chinese) 5,000 $600.00

TOTAL $175,327.24

e-cy

cleN

YC

Mailer 32,000 $10,076.00


Bin Footprint 35 $4,405.00

Hats 500 $4,045.00

Shirts 80 $1,964.00

Superintendent Brochure 50,000 $13,727.60

Sign (English) 9,394 $7,141.00


Poster (English) 4,832 $7,281.00


Newsletter 3 $3,438.50

Flyer (English, Custom Print) 56,949 $85,423.00


TOTAL $149,173.10

Hig

h-R

ise

NY

C O

rgan

ics

Co

llect

ion


Superintendent Brochure 5,000 $1,956.20

Indoor Decal 5,000 $3,065.00

Bin Sign (Spanish) 5,000 $565.00

Bin Sign (Chinese) 5,000 $565.00

Sign (English) 3,000 $330.00


Poster (English) 1,000 $595.00


Newsletter 1 $900.00

Tenant Flyer 40,000 $2,700.00

Flyer (English, Custom Print) 0 -


TOTAL $18,013.20

* “Total Quantity” includes all materials produced since each program’s inception: re-fashioNYC in 2011, e-cycleNYC in 2013, and High-Rise NYC Organics Collection in 2014.

12


ResultsAudience Response

Launch strategy & materials: Our launch materials were successful in enrolling apartment buildings across the City. In

re-fashioNYC’s first year, 161 buildings (servicing 38,505 units) enrolled, DSNY installed 185 bins, and we collected 247,928

pounds of textiles. Donations increased by an average of 4,167 pounds (an additional 2 tons) each month. The citywide re-

fashioNYC mailer resulted in an additional 966 inquiries and 80 subsequent applications. For e-cycleNYC, the two mailings

contributed to the drastic increase in enrollments from 70,448 households in 2014 to 439,901 households in 2015. For High-

Rise NYC Organics Collection, DSNY expanded collection service to 150 buildings in Manhattan and Brooklyn, representing

15,799 households over a two-year period.

We distribute all three program brochures at outreach events throughout the year. The brochures generate excitement among

residents who haven’t heard about these programs, and were previously unsure how to recycle their textiles, electronics, and

organics.

Recruitment & training materials: The bin footprint and branded clothing created for re-fashioNYC and e-cycleNYC were

well received at the start of both programs. The clear branding made both programs seem more official, and helped building

managers identify the staff coming to deliver their bins.

The superintendent’s brochures have proved helpful in allowing for easy setup for buildings. This is clear from the increased

demand for these brochures from 2,000 in 2014 to over 12,000 in 2015.

Resident education & engagement: Building managers and residents appreciate the signs and posters. They serve a dual

purpose: they notify residents of the bin location and publicize the building’s recycling commitment to visitors. Renters in

NYC looking for a new apartment can see the posters displayed and learn about the added benefit of living in participating

buildings.

Property managers are enthusiastic about being able to share their building-specific newsletters with the residents. The

newsletters show their building’s diversion rates, and help increase interest among residents. Managers often print out and

post the newsletters in a central location.

Customization & expansion to other languages: Based on the usage of our customizable flyers, we know that building

managers like being able to share specific instructions with their residents. They were also happy that we took their requests

for multiple languages into account with our resident engagement pieces.

DSNY outreach event re-fashioNYC poster on apartment bulletin board

13


Quantified Results

We measured results in three ways: data on tons collected, participation, and materials ordered. We have collected over ten

million tons of material since the programs’ inception! Figure 1 shows the annual tons of electronics, textiles, and organics

collected since the start of our three apartment programs. Figure 2 shows the total number of participating households each

year. Figure 3 shows the amount of printed materials ordered since the programs launched.

Looking at all of our metrics, our programs have become more and more successful over time. Due to our mailers and

promotional materials, more buildings enroll each year, resulting in more waste collected and recycled, diverting tons of waste.

The programs are growing at a quicker rate every year. We surpassed our goal of enrolling 500 buildings in e-cycleNYC—we

actually enrolled over 3,500 buildings in 2015.

Our continual improvement to our materials contributes to the success of our apartment programs. By printing multi-lingual

materials, we are meeting our goal of reaching more people in the City. Almost 2 million people in NYC speak Spanish

and half a million speak Chinese; we cater to their needs and encourage additional recycling by providing materials in their

native languages. By allowing for customizable materials, various building types can join. Our newsletters regularly remind

participants of their progress and contributions, keeping them engaged and encouraging them to continue recycling. The

wide range of printed materials available makes it easier for people to participate in our programs. By reaching a wider

audience, our materials resulted in more electronics, textiles, and organics recycled in NYC.

2014 2015

re-fashioNYC

Signs 188 43

Posters 88 20

Flyers 8,295 385

e-cycleNYC

Superintendent Brochure 2,352 12,118

Signs 742 3,652

Posters 337 1,495

Flyers 13,305 43,644

re-fashioNYC numbers decreased due to a focus on e-cycleNYC after the 2015 Electronics Disposal Ban. This figure does not include High-Rise NYC Organics Collection because data is not yet available.

Organics tonnage only includes Manhattan because individual high-rise values cannot be extracted from the other boroughs’ pilot area data.

Some earlier enrollment dates for e-cycleNYC are unclear in our data source.

FIGURE 3: Materials Ordered

FIGURE 2: Households EnrolledFIGURE 1: Amount of Waste Collected

CUMULATIVEHOUSEHOLDS

0

100,000

200,000

300,000

400,000

500,000

600,000

re-fashioNYC

e-cycleNYC

Organics

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

0

500,000

1,000,000

1,500,000

2,000,000

2,500,000

3,000,000

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

POUNDS

re-fashioNYC

e-cycleNYC

Organics

14


EvaluationLessons

From research into the City’s demographics, we learned that one of the best ways to reach a wider audience is to provide

educational materials in multiple languages. Since working on our apartment program materials, we have already improved

upon our methods. For more recent print materials for our special waste, schools, and commercial programs, we expanded

the languages available to include Arabic, Bengali, French, Haitian-Creole, Hindi, Korean, Polish, Russian, and Urdu. With

materials offered in all of these languages, we now reach a larger percentage of the NYC population.

Replicating Our Tools

Other communities can replicate our approach to provide specific materials targeted at residents of apartment buildings.

Single-family homes generally receive standard recycling collection service, and the same system does not work for apartment

buildings.

For apartment buildings, cities should provide a variety of materials: materials for building managers and property owners,

apartment residents, and the general public. Each group needs to receive different information. The general public, or people

who are unaware of their recycling options, need general brochures on how to join our programs. Enrolled building residents

need information on how to participate in their building. Building managers need instructions on how to set up their building.

To replicate our materials for other situations, communities need to consider their own various audiences and target materials

specifically towards them.

In addition, educational materials should be translated into the languages needed within each community.

re-fashioNYC bin e-cycleNYC bin organics bin

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