They drop through sorting screens and mix with other materials and are too small to separate, contaminating recycling loads or getting disposed as garbage.
Because straws are non-recyclable, they end up landfills. Internationally they frequently end up in rivers and oceans. Not many people realize that straws are among the top 10 items found during beach clean ups and are a major threat to seabirds, turtles and other marine creatures.
Not only does plastic in the ocean hurt marine life, but it is also dangerous to humans. Plastic debris floating in the oceans absorbs dangerous pollutants like PCBs, DDT and PAH; these toxic chemicals can cause endocrine disruption and cancer-causing mutations. When marine life consumes pieces of plastic, the toxins are absorbed into their body and passed up the food chain and end up on our dinner plates.
Straws are mainly consumed through restaurants. With recent attention drawn to the severity of plastic in the ocean, especially straws, many parts of the U. Food contamination can disqualify otherwise recyclable plastics from being sorted and reconstituted, which means these items end up headed straight for the landfill. Throughout Hudson River Park, you can find black landfill bins; blue recycling bins for plastic, metal and glass; and brown compost bins. Different types of bins will often be strategically placed near each other for convenience, so please choose the correct bin for your waste.
Got an empty water bottle or food container? Blue bin. Plastic bag or dirty diapers? Black bin. Banana peels or apple cores? Brown bin. Please be especially mindful of what goes in the recycling and compost bins — cross contamination can send the entire bulk to the landfill. When it comes to minimizing the amount of waste that ends up in landfills, each one of these actions plays an important role.
In , the United States generated While NYC is better positioned than many American cities to manage recyclables, we still have work to do.
Whenever possible, avoid the plastic straw. You can buy your own reusable straws made from metal, silicone, or even reusable plastic but we recommend a more sustainable material. Or, you could always forego the straw altogether and you know, drink from the side of the cup. If you find yourself in pickle and you absolutely need to use a single-use plastic straw, do your best to recycle it properly, but know that even if you do, it may still end up causing damage.
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