Archive: Around Town

Since mid-2012, Tompkins County residents have been able to recycle their food scraps for free at the Recycling and Solid Waste Center (RSWC) in Ithaca.  Now, there are more opportunities to participate, including a second drop-off location and access to a free toolkit to get started.

Food scraps recycling will play an integral role in working towards a goal of 75% waste diversion by 2016 in Tompkins County. Currently, 60% of waste generated within the County is diverted from the landfill.  Materials collected through the food scraps recycling program are processed locally at Cayuga Compost in Trumansburg.

County residents are encouraged to stop by the Solid Waste Division office at 122 Commercial Avenue and pick up their free toolkit, complete with a kitchen caddy, compostable bags and information on how to get started and what items can be accepted as food scraps. The list of acceptable items includes all food scraps and some additional items not traditionally composted at home, such as meat, fish and bones; paper cups and napkins; and compostable disposables.

“The intent is to make food scraps recycling clean, comfortable and convenient,” said Kat McCarthy, Waste Reduction and Recycling Specialist. “It’s also cost-effective, as recycling food scraps will generate less garbage for residents, who will then spend less on trash tags.”

Improvements have been made to the drop-off area of the Recycling and Solid Waste Center. These include enhanced signage and access to replacement compostable bags. In the future, other amenities like a hand sanitizer and protection from the elements will be added.

A second ‘drop spot’ is open to the public at Cayuga Compost in Trumansburg, with additional locations planned for 2014. The County is also launching a residential curbside collection pilot for food scraps in mid-November that will be expanded throughout the County over the next three years.

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