Archive: Around Town

As of last Monday, county residents can now mix their paper and containers all in one bin, as Tompkins County begins to accept mixed recyclables at the curbside through single stream collection.  Paper, glass, metal, and plastic containers can all be mixed in the bin, making curbside recycling easier and more convenient.

“Single stream recycling makes it easier for residents to recycle more material and get recycling to the curb,” says Leo Riley, Recycling Manager at the County’s Solid Waste Management Division (TCSWMD). “Single stream also creates the potential for the collection of additional types of recyclable material in the future.”

What’s Accepted:

The following materials will be accepted for single stream recycling collection at the curbside:

• Cardboard – including boxboard, pizza boxes, and cereal boxes
• Mixed Paper – including newspaper, mail, magazines, and office paper
• Glass Bottles & Jars – clear, green, and brown
• Metal Cans & Aluminum Foil
• Plastic #1-#7 Bottles & Jugs, and #5 Tubs, such as yogurt and butter tubs
• Paper Milk & Juice Cartons.

Recycling Bin Options:

Many more recyclable materials are available now than when curbside recycling began in Tompkins County 15 years ago.  Because of this, recycling bins at the curbside are often overflowing, which can create litter concerns.

Under single stream recycling, residents may continue to use their County recycling bins or purchase a larger container at a retail outlet to manage all curbside recyclables.  Additional County recycling bins may be purchased at the TCSWMD’s office.

Suggestions for alternate containers:

Recycling containers may have a lid.  They must be no larger than 40 gallons, weigh no more than 40 pounds when full, and be clearly marked with an “R.”

Since a larger recycling container can easily be confused with a trash can, marking with an “R” that faces the road on your designated collection day will help the recycling collector identify your container as recycling. “R” decals will be distributed in curbside recycling bins beginning the week of March 7th. The decals are also available at the Tompkins County Solid Waste Management Division office, at the Drop-off Area of the Recycling and Solid Waste Center, and at the customer service desk of the Ithaca Wegmans on South Meadow Street. Other locations will be announced at a later date.

“This long-term project is loaded with exciting initiatives to foster a more sustainable local community.  It will take a lot of hard work and cooperation from the three key partners in this project: FCR Recycling, Tompkins County, and Casella Waste Systems local hauling group, but it will be worth it,”  notes Stephen Klemann, Area Manager Business Development for FCR Recycling and Casella Waste Systems. “Tompkins County is viewed as an innovative leader with highly progressive Solid Waste practices and policies.  We are looking forward to helping them advance their position at the cutting edge of solid waste and recycling processes by layering in some of our highly flexible sorting technologies to remove more materials from the waste stream.”

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