Glass Recycling Program in French Quarter and CBD Off to a Slow Start

The Advocate

In September, the city touted the return of glass recycling to the French Quarter and Central Business District after a decade-long absence. But so far, almost no one is using the $60,000 program.

Only 35 or 40 of the roughly 4,000 eligible properties are now taking advantage of the program, Sanitation Director Cynthia Sylvain-Lear told a City Council committee this week.

“We should be embarrassed and ashamed of ourselves for not taking better advantage of this recycling program,” Councilwoman Stacy Head said, arguing that recycling bottles is a responsibility of residents “as a citizen of this city and an inhabitant of this world.”

The return of glass recycling downtown has been promoted as a prelude to a city-wide program that could start when trash contracts covering other areas come up for renewal at the end of this year. But so far residents have not been responding to notices calling on them to separate out their bottles, Sylvain-Lear said.

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