Brooklyn, NY
The Crown Jewel of Residential Recycling
The Brooklyn Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) is the largest and most sophisticated recycling plant in North America.
Show Accepted MaterialsEst. in
2014
Processes
180 K+
Tons Yearly Workers
72
Our New York Materials Recovery Facility
The Sunset Park Material Recovery Facility (MRF) is the largest and most sophisticated plant for commingled residential recyclables in North America. Originally built and operated by SMR, the recycling facility opened in December 2013 and processes most of New York City’s curbside material, roughly 20k tons per month. Situated on an 11-acre pier to provide waterfront access, materials from Queens and the Bronx arrive via barge, significantly reducing truck traffic. Brooklyn is home to the Recycling Education Center (REC), an interactive recycling space where visitors learn how the recycling process works and can view our operations from observation platforms.
The site is host to sustainability features including the city’s first commercial-scale wind turbine, a large solar array, native plantings and marine habitats. Designed by Selldorf Architects, the facility won the 2010 Award for Excellence in Design from the Public Design Commission.
Recycling Right
Accepted Materials
Paper (includes office paper, newspaper, and card stock)
Cardboard
Rigid Plastics
Glass Bottles and Jars
Cartons
All mostly metal items (excluding batteries and electronics)
Learn more about what to recycle in New York and surrounding communities below
Schedule a Tour
Visit our State-of-the-Art MRF in Brooklyn
We believe a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) is the best classroom for recycling and environmental education.
If you are interested in touring our Brooklyn MRF, click “Schedule a Tour” or visit our Contact Us to submit your request.
How to Recycle
The decisions we make when placing items in the recycling bin have a big impact. Recycling right helps processors recover more resources from the waste stream, and depositing the wrong items has the opposite effect. We have compiled resources, from how-tos to useful links, to help navigate all the information about recycling right.
Buy Recycled Materials
Recovering the material. Giving it a new life. Putting it back into circulation. Starting again.
Recycled materials play an important role in the circular economy, enabling manufacturers to use recycled plastic, glass and metal in lieu of virgin materials. Separated recyclables available for sale include:
- Cardboard (OCC)
- Paper (various grades including MXP, SOP, CBS and SWL)
- Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET #1)
- High Density Polyethylene-Natural (HDPE #2)
- High Density Polyethylene-Color (HDPE #2)
- Polypropylene (PP #5)
- Aluminum (UBC, including Class III)
- Glass
Did you know we produce recycled glass aggregate for construction projects?
