Times Square Could Recycle 4,500lbs of Materials Each Day

On Friday, New York City announced plans to install in Times Square 30 trash and recycling stations. The trash unites will be able to hold five times more garbage than the traditional sidewalk bins since they have been designed to compact waste using solar energy and then send wireless signals alerting workers when the bins are full. Additionally, recycling bins for bottles, cans and paper are affixed to the trash unit, which will make it easier than ever for people to recycle on the go.

Mayor Bloomberg called the program “the largest public space recycling pilot anywhere in the world,” while John J. Doherty, the city’s sanitation commissioner, noted that about 30 percent of the materials found inside garbage cans in the area were recyclable. The new bins come as the city sets a goal to add 1,000 traditional recycling containers on streets in all five boroughs by the end of the year.

Similar installations can be found in Boston, Chicago and Philadelphia. According to city officials, Times Square generates more trash than any other city neighborhood — about 15,000 pounds on a typical day. The new bins could divert around 4,500 pounds of recyclable materials from New York's landfills each day. We're hoping the bins catch on, and become commonplace in cities across the US.