Archive: Around Town

Lansing is part of a pilot program that brings the next phase of recycling to Tompkins County.  A public space recycling bin was installed in the parking lot near the Lansing Town Hall and ball fields August 31st, with a second location at the bus stop outside the Tompkins County Public Library.  Tompkins County Solid Waste officials say a third unit will be installed in Trumansburg before the end of this year.

"It's a pilot program," says Assistant Recycling Specialist Nancy Webster.  "We started with a couple of bins and looked for locations that had some potential recyclables to pull out of the trash.  Who might benefit from it?  It helps municipalities not have to service the trash as much.  We looked at some best practices from around the country.  Everything from researching the type of bin to how often to service it, and the best locations.  We looked at purchasing the bins and working with municipalities and prospective locations in the County."

The multi-use area makes Lansing a perfect spot for the pilot program.  Assistant Solid Waste Manager Leo Riley says the county was particularly looking at TCAT bus stops.  The Lansing location is central to the parking lot that TCAT uses, and is used for the sports fields and weekly chicken barbecues.  It is also handy for people with business in the Town Hall, the Lansing Community Library, Historical Records Building and the Lansing Community Center.

"We were looking for spots around the County where the municipality or whoever was in charge wanted to work with us," Riley says.  "We wanted places where there is the opportunity to collect recyclables.  There are already some trash cans here nd we were able to see what was in them.  There were a lot of drinks containers -- there are all the barbecue chicken dinners and all the events in the area."

Webster says research has included identifying potential sites and sorting through existing trash cans to see what people are throwing away.  The idea is to make it easy for people to dispose of whatever is in their hand, easily and conveniently.  Research showed that dual-bin units for both trash and recycling have been most successful around the United States.  In looking for new locations Webster says that some will be permanent like the existing two, but others may be set up for special events.

"There are a lot of different bins out there that are good for a lot of different kinds of locations," she says.  "Some people look at public space recycling as events like Apple Fest or Ithaca Fest, where you want a more portable type of bin.  For this type of semi-permanent location we wanted something that was large enough to take the capacity of a weekend of events, and that has removable carts so we can clean them and service them easily.  We wanted something that had color coding for trash and recycling, because that is successful in other programs, and restrictive openings to guide you as to which side is which, and space for education."


The custom-made units have color coded trash and recycling bins, and with restrictive openings to limit the kind of trash or recyclables that may be disposed of.  An educational panel on the sides of the unit, show what recyclable items are acceptable.  Casella Waste Systems is servicing the bins.  While use at the Lansing location is seasonal and largely dependent on scheduled activities, the downtown location is already being hailed as a success.  TCAT Amenities Supervisor A. Mike McLellan said the outdoor bus shelter on Green Street is TCAT’s number one hub with nearly 360,000 passenger boardings a year. He said the addition of the bins has greatly reduced the burden on TCAT staff of having to keep the area clean.

“What a fantastic idea and a big help to us!” says McLellan. “We would love to have more, particularly at our second largest passenger hub at Seneca Street Station.”

Lansing Town Supervisor Kathy Miller agrees.

"It's good to have a place for people who use the fields, etc., to put their recycling and their waste," Miller says.  "It certainly has not caused any pileup of waste or recycling.  So that's good, too.  It's being used correctly.  Anything like that is a plus for the Town."

Riley says the Solid Waste Department is assessing the effectiveness of the bins throughout the year.  he says that if they are abused the program could be stopped.  But so far people have been respectful of the bins at both locations, using them properly.

"We also wanted to make sure it was somewhere that didn't have problems with illegal dumping," he says.  "That's something we need to keep an eye on, because it would be a potential cost to us.  Other successful programs in the country are in ball fields and recreational areas.  So even though it is seasonal, it will be pretty well used in three seasons."

The Solid Waste Department has budgeted for three more units in 2016. 

"Right now is a time for us to analyze and assess the units we have out there," Riley says.  "We'll take our findings and see what works best.  Then we'll go at it again and look for three more locations."

Officials say the program is expected to help them reach Tompkins County’s goal of 75% waste diversion.

"There are a lot of different bins out there that are good for a lot of different kinds of locations," says Webster.  "Some people look at public space recycling as events like Apple Fest or Ithaca Fest, where you want a more portable type of bin.  For this type of semi-permanent location we wanted something that was large enough to take the capacity of a weekend of events, and that has removable carts so we can clean them and service them easily.  We wanted something that had color coding for trash and recycling, because that is successful in other programs, and restrictive openings to guide you as to which side is which, and space for education."

The Lansing unit is located near the Auburn Road side of the Town Hall campus parking lot, where the Town Hall/Library parking lot meets the ball fields parking lot.

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