Archive: Around Town

The Tompkins County Solid Waste Management Division recently installed its third public space recycling bin along Main Street in the Village of Trumansburg. Located near the Colonial Laundromat and the children's "Little Village" in the heart of Trumansburg's business district, the bin features receptacles for both trash and common single-stream recyclable items like cans, bottles and newspapers.

The bins are serviced on a regular basis by Casella Waste Systems, according to Kat McCarthy, Waste Reduction and Recycling Specialist for Tompkins County. "There's been a strong positive response on the part of the public in the short time the public space recycling bin has been in place in Trumansburg," said McCarthy. "We're seeing heavy use, with very little contamination among the recycled material."

"We've found an increasing number of communities are focused on expanding recycling opportunities to public settings such as streetscapes and parks," added Nancy Webster, an Assistant Recycling Specialist for Tompkins County. "The more successful programs are those that provide options for recycling and trash."

Tompkins County worked closely with the village to site the public space bin. Trumansburg Mayor Marty Petrovic said it's a welcomed addition to Main Street. "We believe this type of recycling is long overdue and will help our village stay clean while reducing what goes to the landfill."

The County installed the other two public space recycling bins in late August next to the Public Library on East Green Street in Ithaca and near the Town Hall and Lansing Community Library on Route 34.

Additional public space bins will be installed in 2016 as part of the County's overall goal of 75% waste diversion.

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