The city’s recycling rate is quickly declining, and could hit its lowest level in five years by the end of the month, according to the New York Post.

Just 15.9 percent of residential waste was recycled in the first 10 months of this fiscal year, compared to almost 16.5 percent in the same period last year.

The drop off is even more substantial if you include commercial and construction waste, with a drop from 33.5 to just over 24.5 percent.

Recycling advocates attribute the drop off in part to confusion stemming from the city’s decision to drop glass and plastic recycling in 2002, only to restore plastic in 2003 and glass in 2004.

A sanitation official attributes the drop off of construction recycling to stalled building projects in the sagging economy.

(Source: NY1)