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Subscribe to RSSNEW YORK -- As it steps up its program to replace its toilets with water-conserving models, New York City has begun to seek bids from companies to recycle nearly a million old toilet fixtures over the next six years.
The city’s Department of Environmental Protection told the New York Post that it's counterintuitive to have a program to conserve water that increases trash at landfills.
Old toilets, which use about five gallons per flush compared with 1.28 gallons for newer fixtures, could be crushed for reuse in building foundations.
The DEP also said it would give apartment building residents a $125 rebate to replace old fixtures.
The toilet-replacement program will drop the city’s daily water use by 30 million gallons a day, DEP spokesman Farrell Sklerov told the Post. City residents now use 1 billion gallons of water, so that’s a 3 percent reduction, he said.
Garbage problem
A similar replacement in the 1990s replaced 1.3 million toilets, the paper reported. But those units were not recycled, and ended up taking space in garbage dumps.
“We want to see if there are companies that will take toilets off our hands and provide value for the public,” Skelrov told the Post. “We’ll see what the response is.”
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Green?
Personally, I don't want to have anything to do with green commodes.
To go green, you must first go brown.
-Mike Rowe
Well, Kermit was in Manhattan in the '80s, right?
I smell a conspiracy!
Plunger manufacturers are going to love this "green" junk.
Stupidity. More empty intellectualizing by politicians. One of the big problems with older toilets is they use too much water when they flush. I guess water conversation is passe.
If you drop a large deuce it usually takes more than one flush.
So, your projected savings go down the drain.
Drop those often, do you? Personally, I do a lot more peeing.
Current eats a lot of salad and bran.
There are low flush toilets manufactured nowadays that empty the tank well on one flush. There was a low profile, low flush toilet in the master bathroom of my house when I bought it. The house inspector told me that I was going to hate that toilet after he completed the inspection. He was right. Even after three flushes, it would not empty the tank of a wad of toilet paper, much less solid human waste. I got sick and tired of struggling with the thing and asked my plumber what if he could recommend a replacement. He said to buy Kohler Class 4 or Class 5 toilets, which is what he has in his house. I did, and that was one of the most worthwhile 200 bucks that I have ever spent. Those toilets have a different flushing mechanism in the tank, and the bowl is shaped so that it takes less water to fill it. Consumer Reports also did a review of toilets a while back that rates different brands and models. Good ones are out there, just don't ever buy a low flush, low profile model.
Thanks. Good info.
Speaking from experience the new low volume toilets truly suck ass. They often fail to flush fully, forcing you to flush 2-3 times after each pooh, thus negating the supposed water savings you get. Also they clog up more often than the high volume versions. So i just use high volume toilets in the house.
Tree huggers don't care about you having to deal with blocked up toilets, mercury in "green" CFL bulbs, or additional out of pocket expenses. They are selfish and only pass these draconian regulations in order to feel good about themselves.
Where does one get the toilets that suck ass? Wow, with one of them and a porn mag, I could get rid of my bitchy girlfriend! Think how MUCH money I would save not having to buy dinner and still not get any! Look out Saturday night!
Just remember that most of the toilet fixtures currently in use in existing apartments in NYC were first installed before 1909. A water saving toilet can be had for around $100 at Ace Hardware, but in NYC you'll have to pay the teamsters another $100 to deliver itm then you'll have to either install it yourself or pay a plumber another another $100 to do it for you.