4R Times
Summer Newsletter
Volume IV | Issue II
Find Us In Your Community This Summer
As soon as it’s warm outside, Tompkins County Recycling and Materials Management (TCRMM) staff and Outreach Assistants take to the neighborhoods of Tompkins County to promote awareness of recycling and waste reduction programs. Community events are a major part of this effort. Visit us at an event to learn something new and play a game.
Look For New Curbside Guidelines  
The new 2019-2020 Tompkins County Curbside Recycling Guidelines brochure is now available, and covers the 12-month period from July 2019 through June 2020. Inside, there is valuable information about curbside recycling collection, including a list of items that can be recycled both at the curb and at the Recycling and Solid Waste Center. The publication also includes the popular recycling pick-up calendar through June 2020.
In light of changes in the recycling industry, plastic bottles and containers collected for recycling are now limited to #1, 2 and 5. Rigid plastics and plastic bags and films can only be accepted at the Recycling and Solid Waste Center (not curbside). A specific list can be found at www.recycletompkins.org . County residents are reminded that single use plastic bags are NOT acceptable in curbside bins, and recyclables cannot be collected in plastic bags.
Pick up your copy of the 2019-20 Curbside Recycling Guidelines at the TCRMM office at 122 Commercial Avenue, the Recycling and Solid Waste Center public drop off, any municipal office, all food scraps drop spots, or any major grocery store in Tompkins County. Electronic copies are also available at www.recycletompkins.org
Record Numbers Attend HHW Drop-Off
A record 293 residents attended the first Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Drop-Off event of 2019. Household Hazardous materials include products that are corrosive, ignitable, poisonous, reactive, or toxic like automotive care products, home maintenance products, oil based paints and stains, and more. These items do not belong in the garbage, and must be handled and disposed of properly due to dangers posed to our health and the environment. Learn more and sign up for the next HHW events, July 20th & August 17th, at recycletompkins.org
 
ReBusiness Spotlight: Mighty Yoga
One of the newest companies to become a ReBusiness Partner is Mighty Yoga. Located in downtown Ithaca, this studio has been offering excellent yoga classes to the community for over 10 years. Working with TCRMM staff to become a ReBusiness Partner allowed Mighty Yoga to gain the info and tools needed to begin food scraps recycling. Is your business or organization interested in joining the program? Contact us today at recycletompkins.org
Public Space Recycling Expands in Tburg
We recently installed a second public space recycling bin in the Village of Trumansburg, the eleventh in Tompkins County. Staff from the village Department of Public Works had expressed interest in adding a second public space bin in response to the success of the first one sited along Main Street, in the heart of Trumansburg’s business district. The second location is outside the Little Venice restaurant, where previously there was a trash bin but no recycling option. The stations feature two receptacles - one for on-the-go trash items like coffee cups and snack wrappers, and the other for single-stream recyclables like cans, bottles and newspapers.
 
A Fond Farewell
Communications and Administrative Coordinator Geoff Dunn will be leaving TCRMM after seven years of excellent service. Join us in wishing him luck as he moves on to become the new Community Preparedness Coordinator at the TC
Department of Emergency Response.
 
Holiday Closings

 
Independence Day and Labor Day
July 4th and September 2nd

•Office and RSWC closed
•No recycling pickup
•Curbside pickup on one day delay for rest of week
 
The Find My Recycling Day tool automatically adjusts for holidays-- sign up today!
Community Outreach
Look for us at these
upcoming community events:
 
Newfield Old Home Days
July 27th
 
National Night Out
August 6th
 
Groton Old Home Days Parade
August 24th
 

 



Did You Know...

340 tons of food scraps were collected at our drop spots in 2018.

Tompkins County Recycling and Materials Management
(607) 273-6632 | [email protected] | recycletompkins.org