A Cleaner, Greener Park: A New Way to Manage Trash in Central Park

May 28, 2013

The Central Park Conservancy plans to nearly double the number of
recycling cans in Manhattan through the addition of more than 400 cans
in the Park, as part of a plan to reduce rats, improve visitor safety
and increase sustainability.

Despite the number of visitors quadrupling since 1980, the Central Park
Conservancy has managed to keep the Park clean by focusing on the
collection of recyclables and, since 2003, reducing the Park’s waste
stream by almost 40 percent. To even more effectively manage the impact
of 40 million annual visitors and follow the City’s lead in enhanced
recycling efforts, the Conservancy is partnering with Alcoa Inc., Alcoa
Foundation and Landor Associates to expand trash management successes
throughout the Park.

The new system includes the replacement of the Park’s current trash and
recycling receptacles with more than 700 newly designed aluminum cans.
These cans, made from 30 percent recycled aluminum donated by Alcoa
Inc., are more durable than the current plastic receptacles. They were
designed by Landor Associates to prevent overflow of trash and access by
rats, and are a more attractive alternative to today’s plastic
receptacles. Alcoa Foundation awarded the Conservancy a $500,000 grant
to support the new system’s design.

“With three times as many people visiting the Park now compared to 1980,
the Conservancy has to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to smart
management,” said Douglas Blonsky, President & CEO of the Central Park
Conservancy. “New bins in smarter locations means a more environmentally
friendly, efficient collection system that helps 40 million visitors a
year continue to enjoy the Park they love. We are thrilled to have the
support and expertise of Alcoa Inc., Alcoa Foundation, and Landor
Associates in enhancing how we manage Central Park.”

“Aluminum is the most recycled material on earth and we are proud to
partner with the Central Park Conservancy on this important initiative,”
said Klaus Kleinfeld, Chairman and CEO, Alcoa. “We will continue to look
for compelling and creative ways to help individuals, public spaces and
cities increase recycling rates and capture the economic and
environmental value of recycling aluminum.”

“As New Yorkers and regular visitors to Central Park, we were really
excited to take on the assignment of designing the new trash bins,” said
Allen Adamson, managing director of Landor’s New York office, which
designed the cans. “The result is a really iconic form, designed to
complement its surroundings, while encouraging recycling in the Park.
Using aluminum was a perfect match, giving the design flexibility and
resilience we wouldn’t have had from any other material. We think we
struck a nice balance here.”

The trash and recycling cans will be placed in strategic, high-traffic
locations throughout the Park and removed from the centers of
landscapes. Concentrating trash cans in high-traffic areas means fewer
vehicles on pedestrian paths, making children’s and pets’ visit to
Central Park safer than ever.

For more information on managing trash in Central Park, visit centralparknyc.org/trash.

About the Central Park Conservancy

The mission of the Central Park Conservancy is to restore, manage and
enhance Central Park in partnership with the public, for the enjoyment
of present and future generations. A private, not-for-profit
organization founded in 1980, the Conservancy provides 85 percent of
Central Park’s $46 million expense budget and is responsible for all
basic care of the Park. For more information on the Conservancy, please
visit centralparknyc.org.

About Alcoa Foundation

Alcoa Foundation is one of the largest corporate foundations in the
U.S., with assets of approximately US$460 million. Founded 60 years ago,
Alcoa Foundation has invested more than US$570 million since 1952. In
2012, Alcoa Foundation contributed more than US$21 million to nonprofit
organizations throughout the world, building innovative partnerships to
improve the environment and educate tomorrow’s leaders for careers in
manufacturing and engineering. The work of Alcoa Foundation is further
enhanced by Alcoa’s thousands of employee volunteers who share their
talents and time to make a difference in the communities where Alcoa
operates. Through the Company’s signature Month of Service program, in
2012, a record 60 percent of Alcoa employees took part in more than
1,050 events across 24 countries, benefiting more than 450,000 people
and 2,050 nonprofit organizations. For more information, visit www.alcoafoundation.com and
follow @AlcoaFoundation on Twitter.

About Alcoa

Alcoa is the world’s leading producer of primary and fabricated
aluminum, as well as the world’s largest miner of bauxite and refiner of
alumina. In addition to inventing the modern-day aluminum industry,
Alcoa innovation has been behind major milestones in the aerospace,
automotive, packaging, building and construction, commercial
transportation, consumer electronics and industrial markets over the
past 125 years. Among the solutions Alcoa markets are flat-rolled
products, hard alloy extrusions, and forgings, as well as Alcoa® wheels,
fastening systems, precision and investment castings, and building
systems in addition to its expertise in other light metals such as
titanium and nickel-based super alloys. Sustainability is an integral
part of Alcoa’s operating practices and the product design and
engineering it provides to customers. Alcoa has been a member of the Dow
Jones Sustainability Index for 11 consecutive years and approximately 75
percent of all of the aluminum ever produced since 1888 is still in
active use today. Alcoa employs approximately 61,000 people in 30
countries across the world. For more information, visit www.alcoa.com,
follow @Alcoa on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Alcoa
and follow Alcoa on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Alcoa.

About Landor Associates

Landor Associates is one of the world’s leading branding and design
firms. Founded by Walter Landor in 1941, Landor pioneered many of the
research, design, and consulting methods that are now standard in the
branding industry. Partnering with clients, Landor drives business
transformation and performance by creating brands that are more
innovative, progressive, and dynamic than their competitors. Landor’s
holistic approach to branding is a balance of rigorous, business-driven
thinking and exceptional creativity. Its work spans the full breadth of
branding services, including brand research and valuation, brand
positioning and architecture, naming and writing, corporate identity and
consumer packaging design, experience and environmental design, brand
equity management, brand engagement, and digital branding. With 21
offices in 16 countries, Landor’s current and past clients include some
of the world’s most powerful brands, including BlackBerry, Citi, the
Council on Foreign Relations, Diageo, Hilton Hotels, HP, Jet Airways,
Microsoft, MillerCoors, Panasonic, PGA of America, Procter & Gamble, Taj
Hotels Resorts and Palaces, and Verizon. Landor is a member of the Young
& Rubicam Brands network within WPP, the world’s largest marketing and
communications firm.

For Central Park Conservancy
Dena Libner, 212-310-6638
347-582-0381
dlibner@centralparknyc.org
OR
Alcoa Foundation
Suzanne van de Raadt, Communications Manager, 646-404-4027
Suzanne.vanderaadt@alcoa.com