5,296,760 cans and bottles in 2007

Water Bottles and Soda Cans

Overall, the average energy cost to make the plastic, fill the bottle, transport it to market and then deal with the waste would be "like filling up a quarter of every bottle with oil." (Peter Gleick, an expert on water policy and director at the Pacific Institute in Oakland, California.

All in all, we estimate 5,296,760 bottles and cans went unrecycled in 2007 as a result of Filmmaking in New York City. As this great city increases it’s production days, so increases the taken landfill space, ozone damage and drain on the environment.

Silvercup Studios has 19 stages and they are generally at 80% capacity. Less holidays and weekends that’s 3,815 days of production per year. On average, there are 35 people on a stage at one given time. The general rule for buying beverages for crew is 4 beverages per person per day. That comes to 534,100 cans and bottles that gets tossed in the regular garbage JUST at Silver Cup alone!

Now let’s add in Steiner Studios (5 stages), Kaufmann Astoria (6 stages), Broadway Stages (16 ) supposing that they are at 80% capacity, that’s an additional 27 stages. Same formula applied , that’s 758,940 bottles and cans that go unrecycled.

The Mayor’s Office reports 28,598 location days in 2007 (Are you ready for this) Using the same formula as above that’s 4,003,720 water bottles and soda cans that are probably not recycled. It’s too easy to toss into the regular garbage, it’s not regulated, expendables companies don’t rent recycling cans and the stages don’t have them.

All in all, we estimate 5,296,760 bottles and cans go unrecycled last year. As this great city increases it’s production days, so does the refuse. We can make it stop.

For one, we have gently remind the Stages that The Digest of Sanitation Codes mandates “all businesses must separate recyclable material from regular trash. Businesses must contract with a a private carter or recycler for collection of separated recyclable material.”