Behind the Scenes of Sims Municipal Recycling's MRF in Brooklyn

Located in Sunset Park in Brooklyn, N.Y., is Sims Municipal Recycling's $110 million, 11-acre materials recovery facility (MRF), which processes New York City's residential metal, glass and plastic recyclables. This facility, which was constructed with 99 percent recycled steel and built on an elevated of four feet of recycled glass and crushed stone, opened in 2013 as part of a long-term contract between Sims and the New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY).

The MRF, which is the largest in the nation, is outfitted with state-of-the-art equipment, an interactive Recycling Education Center, the city's first commercial-scale wind turbine, marine habitat and onsite storm-water management. 

“One of the most effective ways to help people care about their waste beyond the bin is allowing them to see the recycling process in person," says Sims Municipal Recycling Education and Outreach Coordinator Sam Silver. "And our Recycling Education Center and facility tours allow us to make those connections on a daily basis."

Earlier this week, Waste360 Senior Editor Mallory Szczepanski attended a behind-the-scenes tour of the MRF, where she got to explore the ins and outs of the MRF and see firsthand how New York City's recyclables are processed. In this gallery, you can view a number of interior and exterior photos from the MRF.