New York City lags behind other large cities in recycling with only 15% of residential trash being recycled. A new bill passed by the City Council aims to improve the rate by changing how new apartment buildings are constructed. The legislation, which awaits Mayor Michael Bloomberg's signature, amends the city's building code to require new residential buildings with five or more floors and nine or more units to set aside up to 350 sf for recycling bins and materials, depending on the number of units in the building. New buildings with refuse chutes must set aside five square feet in each access room for recyclables.
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