Buffalo, NY – Mayor Byron W. Brown today proclaimed November 15, 2018 as America Recycles Day in Buffalo. He issued the proclamation at Dash’s Market on Hertel Avenue, where he hosted a Community Plastic Bag Recycling Collection event. Plastic bags are listed among the top contaminants in the green recycling totes for the City of Buffalo. Every person who brought plastic bags to the event received an eco-friendly reusable bag from the City of Buffalo and Dash’s, and were entered to win a Dash’s gift card. A craft station was also set up for children and adults to make their own reusable bags out of t-shirts!
“As we continue to promote a more beautiful and environmentally friendly community, I thank Buffalo residents and Dash’s Market for continuing to support and improve our City’s recycling efforts,” said Mayor Brown, noting that he directed the top of historic City Hall be lit green tonight in recognition of America Recycles Day. “America Recycles Day gives us another opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of recycling and to increase recycling by residents, consumers and businesses.”
America Recycles Day, a program founded by Keep America Beautiful in 1997, is the only nationally-recognized day dedicated to promoting and celebrating recycling in the United States. Tonight, Mayor Brown directed the top of historic City Hall be lit GREEN in recognition of America Recycles Day, and asked the Buffalo Landmark Illumination Team to light their structures and facilities in the same color.
Under the direction of Mayor Brown, the City of Buffalo continues its strong commitment to increase its recycling and recovery programs. In 2012, the City of Buffalo switched to single stream curbside recycling for all residential structures as well as commercial entities in the designated commercial districts. Since then, overall recycling rates increased from 15.9% in 2012 to 28.36% in 2017. This steady progress has been aided by several new recycling initiatives: Let’s DO This! Neighborhood Recycling Competition, Community Dare to Repair Café program, WNY Coalition for Donated Goods and the Environmental Champions Program, in partnership with Buffalo Public Schools.
Earlier this year, the City of Buffalo was awarded a $219,900 grant from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) to further enhance recycling education, reinforcing the City’s effort to further grow the “34 and More Buffalo Recycles” program. Mayor Brown continues to encourage all city residents, visitors and business owners to recycle. By building on the positive momentum, he hopes to achieve his recycling goal of 34%–the national recycling average.
For more information about Buffalo’s Recycling program, please visit www.buffalony.gov.