By Kate Hill
Staff Writer
In April 2019, the Department of Solid Waste invited the public to “Rethink Waste in Madison County” with the launch of a new recycling campaign.
On June 11, Kristin Welch — recycling coordinator for the Madison County Department of Solid Waste — delivered a presentation at the Cazenovia Public Library explaining the county’s new recycling standards.
Welch discussed the current state of the recycling industry; the items that should and should not be put into recycling bins; and several sources of information, including the department’s new website, madisoncounty.ny.gov.
The presentation began with a brief discussion of the impact of recent changes in the global recycling market.
Welch explained that for decades, the U.S. sent the bulk of its recycling to China to be made into new products. Within the last couple of years, however, the Chinese government restricted its imports of certain recyclables.
“They are still taking in recyclables, but they now have a really high purity rate,” Welch said. “You can only have contamination of 0.5 percent [by weight], which is very, very low. A lot of communities are not meeting those kinds of standards.”
Contamination, she noted, often occurs when non-recyclable items are introduced into the system or when recyclable items are improperly sorted or contain food residue.
The loss of China’s markets disrupted recycling systems worldwide, forcing communities to choose between paying higher rates to get rid of their recycling or ending their recycling programs altogether.
“We have all this material now and nowhere for it to go,” Welch said. “We’re not getting the same market values for our recyclables, so we’re not getting the same money back. As a result, our program is costing more to maintain.”
In response, Madison County, along with municipalities across the country, decided to streamline its recycling program to optimize efficiency.
According to Welch, today’s recycling industry is less about quantity and more about quality with a focus on things like keeping the contamination rate low.
“A lot of people are calling this a recycling crisis, but it’s actually a really good time for new ideas and innovations,” she said. “The recycling world, like anything else, changes and we have to adapt to it, and this is a great time to think of new technologies for recycling certain products and to change what we are producing in general.”
Madison County recycling program
Madison County has a two-bin recycling system, in which paper products are placed into one bin and containers are placed into another.
The new program discourages residents from putting their recyclables into plastic bags.
Free recycling bins are available at any of the county’s four residential transfer stations — Buyea Road in Canastota, Cazenovia, Hamilton and Sullivan.
According to Welch, the department of solid waste recently received a grant to purchase 200 recycling bins, a limited number of which are available at the Cazenovia town office. The department plans to apply for another grant in the fall to purchase additional bins.
The county funds its recycling program and landfill operations through tipping fees — payments made by anyone who disposes of waste in a landfill.
“There are a lot of things that we accepted in the past that were great for expanding our program, but didn’t make it as efficient as possible,” Welch said. “So today we are really focusing on increasing our efficiency, so we aren’t passing the costs onto you guys and [raising] your tipping fee.”
Paper recyclables
Accepted: newspapers and inserts, flattened cardboard, paper and magazines, mail and envelopes, and cereal boxes.
Not accepted: refrigerated boxes, coffee cups, paper egg cartons, clothing and linens.
Welch recommended stacking the container bin on top of the paper bin to shield the paper products from rain and debris.
Container recyclables
Accepted: plastic bottles and jugs with a neck, plastic dairy tubs (not the lids), metal containers, aluminum foil, empty aerosol cans, and glass bottles and jars.
Not accepted: plastic clamshell and take-out containers, plastic bags, plastic egg cartons, black plastic, plastic cups, pots and pans.
All recyclables must be empty, clean and dry.
The new program encourages residents to focus on an item’s shape — rather than its recycling symbol and code — when considering its disposal.
“One of the main focuses of our campaign was changing our plastics messaging,” Welch said. “We are moving away from talking about the numbers in the triangles. The numbers tell us about the plastic used, but they have no real meaning when talking about whether the item can or cannot be recycled.”
According to Welch, the program accepts materials that still have a strong market. For example, plastic milk jugs and similar containers are sent to a partner in Pennsylvania that turns the plastic into Breezesta brand poly outdoor furniture.
Welch explained that items like clamshell containers and plastic cups do not currently have a market because they are made of a type of plastic that is more difficult to recycle due to its higher melting temperature.
Black plastic lacks a market because the optical scanners used to sort plastics are unable to read the code on the dark surface.
Clean plastic bags and plastic film such as produce bags, air pillows, dry-cleaning bags and bread bags, can be returned to grocery stores for recycling. For a list of plastic film items, visit plasticfilmrecycling.org.
Special programs
The county offers a number of additional recycling programs at its transfer stations for recyclable items that do not belong in recycling bins.
All of the transfer stations accept fluorescent bulbs, batteries, ink cartridges, motor oil, yard waste, scrap metal, clothing and textiles, antifreeze (limit of 5 gallons) and cooking oil.
Welch encouraged residents to check with local retailers regarding fluorescent bulb and battery take-back programs.
Empty propane tanks (20 pounds), refrigerator units, bulky white Styrofoam, and mercury thermostats are accepted at the Buyea Road station only.
Electronic waste
Madison County stopped accepting electronics at any of its locations in May 2017. However, the Department of Solid Waste funds a free electronic waste collection program for residents.
Items can be dropped off at LOJO Technology (634 Birchwood Drive, Oneida) Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and on four Saturdays throughout the year, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The next Saturday drop-off is June 22. For a list of accepted materials, visit alternativesindustry.com.
Household hazardous waste
The department of solid waste also funds a free household hazardous waste program.
Residents can bring their waste to Environmental Products and Services, 532 State Fair Blvd., Syracuse. Appointments are required. Each household can dispose of up to 20 liquid gallons and 30 solid pounds at no cost.
Sharps disposal
Free syringe disposal containers are available at Madison County pharmacies, the Public Health Department and at any of the transfer stations. Full containers can be dropped off at any transfer station or at Crouse Community Center, Community Memorial Hospital, Oneida Health Care Center or The Grand at Chittenango.
Pharmaceutical waste
Unused medications can be dropped at the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Department of Social Services, Chittenango Police Department, NYS Police Troop D Headquarters Route 5, Community Memorial Hospital Pharmacy, and Hamilton Village Police Department.
“Rethink Waste” campaign
The county’s new campaign includes updated, user-friendly materials such as guides, magnets and brochures, and a new website designed to highlight the recycling program and help residents to understand what can and cannot go in their recycling bins.
The reorganized website (madisoncounty.ny.gov) includes details on all of the county’s solid waste programs, as well as a new search tool, which allows residents to type in the name of a waste item and learn how to recycle or dispose of it properly. The website also allows residents to look up facility hours/locations and upcoming collection events and to request a tour or presentation.
Informational materials are also available at the Main Office, 6663 Buyea Road, Canastota.
To learn more about Madison County’s recycling operations, contact Kristin Welch at [email protected] or 315-366-3089.
