Monroe County expands recycling program

For Monroe County residents looking to “go green,” things just got a little easier.

Monroe County has announced an expansion to its recycling program for residents whose recyclables are taken by garbage haulers to the Monroe County Recycling Center.

“During my time as county executive, I have learned that when it comes to going green, there is one stand-out priority for residents,” said Maggie Brooks during her State of the County address earlier this month.

That priority, she said, is recycling, and county officials have responded by expanding the recycling program.

Starting June 1, all county residents whose garbage haulers deliver materials to the county recycling center will be able to recycle plastic products labeled three through seven — in addition to plastics one and two, which are already being collected. There will be no additional cost to residents or the county, said Noah Lebowitz, director of communications for Monroe County.

Some of the items included in the expanded list are drinking cups, yogurt and take-out containers, and prescription pill bottles.

“The challenge of expanding collection is finding a use for the end material that comes after the recycling process,” said Brooks. “If there isn’t a useful purpose for the recycled material, it could simply end up as trash.”

But, she said, Cascade Recovery, the county’s partner in curbside recycling, has worked with the county and refuse material consumers to make sure that all recyclables will be converted into environmentally-friendly end products.

And for items that can’t be recycled curbside, the county is planning a facility on Avion Drive in Chili where county residents can get rid of items that are difficult to dispose of, such as household hazardous wastes, pharmaceutical wastes, cellphones and printer cartridges.

Monroe County’s ECOPark will operate in an existing building owned by Waste Management and is set to open by the end of the year. Modifications to the building will cost the county less than $100,000, said Lebowitz, and there will be “modest” operating costs.

The facility will be “a one-stop-shop for the disposal of everything not accepted by refuse haulers,” said Brooks.

The ECOPark, a joint venture with Waste Management, is expected to be open to all Monroe County residents at times during the week and on weekends, and additional recycling events will be scheduled, said Lebowitz.

He said the county is still working out costs to residents for dropping off certain items, such as tires, and charges will still apply to small businesses that choose to use the service.