New York State’s ban on polystyrene foam food service containers and loose fill packaging went into effect on January 1st, 2022. These materials have been an environmental and waste management concern due to their prevalence as litter and as a contaminant in the recycling stream. The ban applies to covered food service providers, stores that sell these materials, and manufacturers. Some exemptions exist under the law, and waiver applications are available. Alternatives to foam products include reusable serviceware and products that are recyclable and/or made with recycled content or natural materials like bagasse. More information is available from the NYS DEC website, and technical assistance is available locally from the Tompkins County Recycling and Materials Management office.

Several facility upgrades were undertaken at the Recycling and Solid Waste Center in 2021, including repair of push walls and concrete surfaces, replacement of a trench drain, and the installation of a single stream recycling compactor (pictured on right). The compactor allows for more recyclables to be packed into a single truckload, reducing transportation costs and fuel usage. The recyclables are then transported to another nearby Material Recovery Facility, where they are sorted and processed for marketing.

Pictured: Single stream recycling (on right) is loaded into the machine which compacts the recyclables and loads them into a specialized truck trailer (on left).

A new law from New York State mandates that businesses and institutions that generate two or more tons of wasted food per week on average must donate excess edible food and recycle all remaining food scraps if within 25 miles of an organics recycler. Currently only a few grocery stores, schools, and restaurants meet the threshold in Tompkins County, but more generators will be included in the future. More information is available on the NYS DEC website, and the Recycling and Materials Management office can be contacted with questions.

Winter weather can result in curbside recycling collection delays. Updates on the status of curbside pick-up will be posted at recycletompkins.org. When winter weather occurs, please set out material on your regularly scheduled pick up day. Help us prevent delays by keeping bins accessible, removing snow when possible, and securing materials to protect them from windy conditions by using a lidded bin or placing heavier recyclable items on top of lighter items.

If residents feel their recycling was missed, after checking for updates on the website, please call the Recycling and Materials Management office at (607) 273-6632.

Residents also have the choice of using the Recycling and Solid Waste Center at 160 Commercial Avenue in Ithaca. The hours are Monday thru Saturday from 7 AM to 3:30 PM. There is no charge to drop off recyclables at the RSWC.