Dive Brief:

• Although Buffalo, NY made an effort to "go green" by adding a recycling coordinator to the mayor's staff and providing recycling bins to residents, the city's recycling program is stagnant.
• Buffalo's recycling rate sits at half the national average. The main reasons behind the low rate are lack of public education, lack of recycling programs in the school system and city laws that are not aligned with state requirements. 
• The low recycling rate in Buffalo costs the city money: The city Solid Waste Fund is operating on a deficit due to both anemic recycling and trash volumes that are holding steady. 

Dive Insight:

According to a 2012 study, an increase of 1% in recycling could potentially save Buffalo between $70,000 and $100,000 each year. The rate was at 14% in the mid 90's, and dropped to 7% around 2004. The national average for curbside recycling is around 25%.