Curbside Recycling

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NYS Needs Us All to RECYCLE RIGHT
It's as easy as ABC
A. SEPARATE paper recycling from commingled
B. CLEAN containers and paper only - no food residues
C. NO FILM PLASTIC or PLASTIC BAGS in ANY curbside recycling - plastic bags tangle the gears. Place your commingled and paper recycling loose in your recycling receptacle.
County Recycle Right Graphic
 
Some Finer Points
  • Corrugated cardboard is a valuable resource and workers at our materials recovery facility sort it by hand. Best to put your cardboard out for pickup flattened and tied in a bundle. Remove excess tape and any plastic inserts.
  • Redeeming bottles & cans for deposit is better than putting these out for curbside pickup. Every bottle returned strengthens the return system.
  • Keep plastic caps on plastic bottles. Throw out plastic caps on glass bottles. The reason: loose small bits of plastic fall through machinery cracks and end up in the glass stream, reducing its value. Plastic bottles are milled into bits and the bits are separated by automated machinery, so it's ok if the bottle and its cap are different types of plastic.
  • Book bindings are not recyclable; donate your books to a school or library. If a book is truly unwanted, and you want to recycle it, you can cut the papers off the spine and put the paper into the recycilng (including old, yellowed paper) and throw the binding in the trash. This includes paperback bindings.
  • Wire hangers are not recyclable at the curb (they tangle the machinery) – return them to your drycleaner.
  • Again, Clean your containers!  Small bits of liquid or food scraps in containers rapidly add up, creating a noxious environment for DPW and MRF (Materials Recovery Facility) employees. Food contamination encourages pests and contaminates the recycling stream, reducing the material's value in the recycling market. Food-soiled paper may be compostable (check our composting page). 
  • Again, No plastic bags! Plastic bags and any other film/stretch-type plastics also tangles up the gears – you can bring film plastic back to the Hastings' FoodTown or other large grocery stores.
We Welcome Your Questions:
HoH Department of Public Works: 914-478-2171 or send an email
County helpline: 914-813-5425.
 
 
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