Recycling - It's
the Law (pdf format)
In December 1991, the Ulster County Legislature adopted a Mandatory Source Separation and Recycling Law requiring all waste generators to separate newspaper, corrugated cardboard, glass bottles and jars, metal cans, and plastic bottles and jugs for recycling. Haulers are required to collect these materials curbside. Businesses and institutions have been required to recycle these same materials, along with office and computer paper, since September, 1992.
To comply with the NY State Solid Waste Management Act, all municipalities in New York State must have adopted mandatory source separation legislation by September 1, 1992, which requires the separation of reusable and recyclable materials from solid waste. The materials designated as "regulated recyclable materials" are newspaper; glass bottles and jars; metal cans; plastic bottles and jugs; corrugated cardboard; and office and computer paper. Magazines and junk mail, though not mandated by state law, are also being collected. Each municipality in Ulster County has a Municipal Recycling Drop-Off Site (MRDC) built with grants provided by UCRRA of up to $40,000 for each Town site. Residents with less than 2 cubic yards of recyclable materials can use the MRDC. Businesses, institutions, and waste haulers with more than 2 cubic yards may bring their recyclables to the UCRRA Materials Recovery Facility located at 999 Flatbush Road in Kingston, New York.
The NY State requirement for mandatory recycling came as a result of rapidly filling landfills, many of which were poorly located. These landfills threatened to pollute nearby or underground water supplies, and most closed.
Waste reduction, reuse, and recycling is a more economical and environmentally sound alternative to landfilling or other means of disposal for a large part of the waste stream.
In April, 2002 the UCRRA opened a state-of-the-art Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) to process all of Ulster County's recyclable materials. The MRF was designed to process, bale, and ship 1,800 tons a month (21,000 tons each year) of recyclable materials. The MRF accepts recyclable materials from businesses, institutions, and waste haulers with more than 2 cubic yards. (See Facility - Hours of Operation for more information.)
NOT RECYCLING?
If you have a complaint or concern about recycling issues, you can call the Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency Recycling Hotline at (845) 336-3336 and leave a message. If you want to make y our complaint anonymously and would like to be contacted by a staff member, please leave a phone number. ALL CALLS ARE KEPT CONFIDENTIAL. Recycling in most of Ulster County is picked up by the trash/recycling hauler you select.
For questions about your pickup day or a missed pickup; contact your trash hauler directly.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
What can I recycle in Ulster County?
UCRRA provides printable recycling instructions for Ulster County here.
Why is it important to sort my recyclables according to guidelines?
The Materials Recovery Facility (MRF), is a complex of sorting mechanisms that separate the recyclables by material. Too much time spent handpicking contaminants out of the material stream or unclogging machinery increases our expenses and decreases our ability to effectively separate valuable materials and increase operating performance. It is important to remember that your recycled materials will be used to make new products. Quality matters and the better you do following the guidelines, the bettter and more efficient the sorting process will be.
Who picks up my recycling and where is it processed?
Recycling in most of Ulster County is picked up by teh trash/recycling hauler you select. For questions about your pickup day, a missed pickup, or materials collected at the curb; contact your trash hauler. For questions on all recyclable items, how to sort your recyclables, or where to drop off your recyclables, call the Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency Recycling Hotline at (845) 336-3336 and leave a message. The Recycling Coordinator will respond to you during our normal business hours. Collected recyclables are processed for sorting at the Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency located at 999 Flatbush Road, Kingston, New York.
Where is the transfer station?
The Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency operates two regional waste transfer stations.
When are the Municipal Recycling Drop-off Centers open?
Click here for hours, locations and accepted materials.
Who is required to recycle in Ulster County?
EVERYONE! The Ulster County Mandatory Source Separation and Recycling Law was passed in December 1991. It applies to every business, every household, every institution, every school and every governement agency.
I have old paint cans. What should I do with them?
Paint cans that are empty or have dried up paint in them may be thrown in the trash witht he tops off. If you have latex paint, UCRRA recommends that you open up the paint can, copmletely dry it out, leave the top off and dispose with your regular trash. Kitty litter or pain hardening crystals (available in most paint and hardware stores) can be used to speed up the drying out process. Oil based paint, paint thinner, and stains can be dropped off at one of the Household Hazardous Waste and Electronics Collection Events held 2-3 times a year.
How can I recycle my old computer, TV and other electronics?
You can bring these items to the participating Municipal Recycling Drop-off Centers. Click here for the list and fees. You may also bring electronics to the UCRRA Household Hazardous Waste and Electronics Collection Events held 2-3 times per year.
How can I recycle Styrofoam packaging peanuts?
Lightweight "peanuts" made from expanded polystyrene (EPS) contain 25 to 100 percent recycled materials. The Plastic Loose Fill Council has a "Peanut Hotline" (800-828-2214) you can call to find local recycling centers, including chain -store shippers such as Pak Mail and The UPS Store. (Example: The UPS Store located in the Kings Mall Court in Kingston, NY; (845) 336-4877). The Town of Hurley Recycling Center also collects clean packaging peanuts for recycling; (845) 338-5412. To recycle large, molded chunks of EPS used to cushion televisions, air conditioners and such, contact the Alliance of Foam Packaging Recyclers.
How can I get rid of tires?
UCRRA will accept tires at either Transfer Station (New Paltz or Kingston). Click here for fees.
Tires may be brought to your Municipal Recycling Drop-off Center. Click here for schedule and locations.
For large loads of tires, y ou can contact Casings Tire Recycling at (518) 943-9404 - located in Catskill, NY. You can also contact Unity Creations, Inc. at 877-41-UNITY - located in Saugerties, NY.
HELP! What are some safe alternatives to common household products?
UCRRA has some tips for making your home more earth-friendly. Click here for our Safe alternatives to Common Household Products flyer.
What happens to my recyclables after processing?
All glass travels to northern New York to be remanufacturedinto new bottles and glassware items, like casserole dishes.
Paper goes to paper mills to become new paper; there is a great demand at paper mills for recycled fiber to make all grades of new paper from cardboard boxes to fine writing paper.
Aluminum is always a valuable material. Most aluminum cans contain recycled aluminum because it is much more energy and resource efficient for the industry to use reclaimed aluminum. A recycled aluminum can will end up back on the store shelf within six weeks after being recycled. Other metals, such as steel cans or scrap metals, have always had steady markets as well. Almost all metal products in the United States now have recycled content in them.
The plastic fibers from milk jugs and pop bottles are used in a range of applications including carpet, clothing, auto parts, tennis balls, park benches and sometimes even new bottles adn jugs. All of our plastic markets are currently domestic.
Which is the better choice environementally, a paper bag or a plastic bag? I never know which is the best answer to "paper or plastic?"
ProgramsThe eco-friendly answer is "neither". Paper bags are not necessarily better for the environement than plastic - despite many consumers' long-standing assumption that paper beats out plastic hands down when it comes to eco-friendliness.
Environmental experts now say the best chioce is niether paper nor plastic. The best choice is reusable shopping bags made of substances like cotton, hemp, nylon or durable mesh-like plastic.
Each y ear, Americans use more than 100 billion plastic shopping bags, consuming an estimated 12 million barrels of oil. After a very short working life, these bags retire to landfills where they take 500 or more years to break down, or become litter that clogs storm drains and threatens marine wildlife. The ideal option is bring your own bag. The second choice is to ask for the type of bag that you know will be reused - plastic if you'll use it for holding trash orfor carrying items, or paper if you will recycle it.
Currently, the following stores iin Ulster County are collecting plastic bags for recycling:
- Hannaford - Kingston
- Wal-mart - Kingston
- Shop Rite - Ellenville
- Price Chopper - Saugerties
- Stop & Shop - New Paltz
One thing is clear in every study that has been done:
Reusuable bags beat both paper and plastic on virtually all environmental criteria.
