7.9.1 – Recycling and/or Zero Waste Plan
Standard: There shall be a recycling and/or zero waste plan for park and recreation facilities and administrative offices that is systematically monitored and periodically reviewed. The plan shall also include an educational component for both users and employees. The recycling and/or zero waste plan should include all major products suitable for recycling in the given region with an emphasis on making the recycling process easy and convenient for park and recreation users.
Suggested Evidence of Compliance: Provide a description of the recycling and/or zero waste plan for facilities and administrative offices and provide the last review with statistics on the amounts of materials recycled or the percent of total waste recycled for the most recent reporting period.
COMMENT: There is a lot of EOC included for this standard. Please reduce the overall amount of evidence (some items could be combined), highlight relevant information, include dates on documents.
RESPONSE: Dates added to now EOC 11R and 14R. EOC 8-10 are now combined to EOC 15.
COMMENT: The recycling statistics are provided for the County, are there any data for PRC?
RESPONSE: The PRC data is part of the County data. There is not a breakdown of PRC data.
COMMENT: Are there statistics available for 2023?
RESPONSE: The Annual report for 2023 is not yet available.
COMMENT: EOC 13 – what does Recycling Reported mean on the inspection form? Is this collected for each park?
RESPONSE: The recycling section on the inspection form is to indicate if the facility has sufficient recycling containers for staff and the public and that they are clean and maintained.
REVISED AGENCY EVIDENCE OF COMPLIANCE:
Narrative:
PRC’s Recycling Policy follows the directives of the Charter of Westchester, New York: Chapter 825 Source Separation which is managed by the Department of Environmental Facilities (DEF) which compiles countywide statistics in its annual report. This law was last reviewed and amended in September of 2021.
Westchester County (WC) also has very clear procedures about disposing of unused or obsolete equipment and property which must be surrendered to the Bureau of Purchase and Supplies (BPS) which physically disposes of it or offers it for sale through public auction or sealed bids using the online auction sites eBay and Absolute Auctions and Realty.
In addition, DEF uses county parks such as Sprain Ridge Park to host Household Recycling Days which offer residents a convenient way to recycle items that they no longer want or use.
As part of a Capital Project and to cut down on plastic bottle waste, PRC will be installing water bottle refill stations in recreational facilities, and in some passive parks there is a Carry-In Carry-Out policy. Recycling is reported as part of the Pride in Parks (PIP) Performance Based Management Program inspection.
Agency Evidence of Compliance:
7.9.1– EOC 1 PRC Recycling Policy
7.9.1– EOC 2 Charter of Westchester County, New York: Chapter 825 Source Separation
Chapter 825 – SOURCE SEPARATION | Code of Ordinances | Westchester County, NY | Municode Library
7.9.1– EOC 3 NYS Local Law Amending Chapter 825 – Sept. 2021
7.9.1 – EOC 6 WC Environmental Achievements – Press Release
7.9.1 – EOC 7 DEF Household Recycling Day at Sprain Ridge Park
7.9.1 – EOC 8 BPS Surplus Property Procedures
7.9.1 – EOC 10 Online Auctions
7.9.1 – EOC 11 WC Departments Recycling Guidelines
7.9.1 – EOC 12 PRC Capital Project – Water Bottle Refill Stations
7.9.1 – EOC 13 Sprain Ridge Golf Course PIP Inspection Report – Recycling Reported