Recycling Outreach Team

Ulster County Recycles!

Ulster County Recycles is a county-wide outreach education and community engagement program administered by UCRRA’s Recycling Outreach Team. The Agency proudly fosters environmental literacy in the communities we serve, believing that educating the public about recycling, composting, and waste reduction has incredible social, environmental, and economic impacts. By promoting literacy in these areas, UCRRA strives to helps build resilient communities that engage youth and citizens to demonstrate concern for the environment, so residents and community leaders can act on the environmental challenges of the future.

UCRRA offers free programs and resources for residents, businesses, schools, landlords, and other facilities in Ulster County. We strive to reach all audiences in Ulster County with a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We can tailor any program to suit your needs and your group’s interests.

This program is made possible with the support of funding by the New York State Environmental Protection Fund, as administered by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

Facility Tours
The Agency offers free tours of the recycling and composting facilities, by appointment only. Tours must be scheduled on weekdays between the hours of 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM. Visiting groups receive an overview of solid waste management and recycling programs. We can greet tour groups with a brief presentation, or end a tour with a game or activity by request. We prefer a minimum of five participants on tours and all children must be accompanied by teachers or parents/guardians. Tours can accommodate up to 30 participants at a time, and tours are typically 45-90 minutes. Safety is our top priority; all visitors must wear hard hats during tours (provided by the Agency) and open shoes are prohibited (no sandals, flip flops, etc.). Tours are seasonal; scheduled April – October. We take pride in our mission and welcome the public to “come see for yourself” how we’re Growing Ulster Green. If you’d like to schedule a tour, please complete a Request Form and our staff will be in touch with you!

Workshops, Seminars, & Webinars
The Agency regularly hosts special training programs and educational workshops about home composting, zero waste, recycling, plastic pollution, and other topics. We strive to create an interactive and inclusive learning environment for all, and can accommodate various age groups or learning styles with equal program opportunities. The Recycling Outreach Team can host a presentation for your community group in our meeting room, or conduct a public presentations at your community center. Our meeting room can accommodate up to 30 participants. We can accommodate distance-learning through teleconferencing. View our list of upcoming events and classes here. If you’d like to schedule a workshop or presentation for your group, please complete a Request Form and our staff will be in touch with you!

UCRRA Home Composting Demonstration Garden  
The new Home Composting Demonstration Garden is an outdoor learning center where visiting groups can receive hands-on instruction on backyard composting systems, troubleshooting tips, and best practices. The Demo Garden features various styles of compost bins and educational signs and other interactive tools. Live composting demonstrations and other visits to the Demo Garden must be by appointment or will be scheduled events. A visit to the Demo Site can be added to a facility tour. We prefer a minimum of five participants on tours, and all children must be accompanied by teachers or parent/guardians. If you’d like to request a site visit, please complete a Request Form and our staff will be in touch with you!

UCRRA Sustainable Living Center – Coming Soon!
The new Sustainable Living Center will be an immersive space for workshops, meetings, tours, and much more. We’re planning something special! Check back with us Spring 2023 ~

Site Visits & Consultations
The Recycling Outreach Team is available to assist Ulster County schools, restaurants, hotels, retail stores, and other facilities with free and professional consultation services to improve or implement recycling, composting, or waste reduction programs. Are you recycling as much as you could be? Are there other ways to reduce disposal costs by reducing waste? What’s involved with starting a composting program? Our team can help you develop a successful plan to reach your goals and connect you to resources for your projects. If you’d like to request a site visit, please complete a Request Form and our staff will be in touch with you!

Youth Programs
The Agency offers professional youth programming including educational games, activities, composting demonstrations, assemblies, and presentations for Ulster County schools, after-school clubs, libraries, youth community centers, etc. The Agency can host a program in our meeting room (up to 30 participants) or visit a classroom or community centers. Many of our games include free prizes and reusable promotional items that children can keep to remember to recycle, compost, and reduce waste! Our programs can be tailored to any age group; K-12. Earth Day isn’t the only time of year to teach children about recycling! Contact us for America Recycles Day (Nov. 15) Compost Awareness Week (first week of May) or Plastic Free July! Check out our 2023 Youth Program List here.  If you’d like to request a youth program, please complete a Request Form and our staff will be in touch with you!

Compost Bin & Rain Barrel Sales  
The Agency offers a Spring Compost Bin & Rain Barrel Sale through an online store that also features various other home composting tools and accessories. All sales are coordinated through BrandBuilders LLC. The online shop will open March-April as a pre-order program. Residents can reserve and pay for their items, and pick up their items at the one-day pick-up event, which may be combined with other educational attractions during International Compost Awareness Week (the first full week in May). This program is seasonal and the Agency does not offer compost bins during the off-season. UCRRA does not make any warranty or representation, expressed or implied, regarding the compost bins or other equipment offered for sale by BrandBuilders, LLC. Purchasers must direct any questions, claims or disputes regarding their purchase to BrandBuilders LLC.

Mandatory Recycling
Recycling is mandatory in Ulster County. Our Recycling Outreach Team addresses complaints about recycling enforcement issues. Please contact us to anonymously report any businesses, organizations, apartment complex, or waste haulers that may be disposing of regulated recyclable materials.

Social Media
Stay connected with us on Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, or join our newsletter!

Call the Recycling Hotline
When in doubt, ask!
845-336-3336

Additional Resources

Learn more about our resources for Schools

Learn more about our resources for Businesses

Learn more about our resources for Landlords

“How do I get rid of….” Visit our A to Z Recyclopedia

View all Additional Resources 

Angelina Brandt is the Director of Sustainability and former Recycling Coordinator at UCRRA. Prior to joining the Agency in January 2019, Angelina was the Recycling and Composting Educator at Cornell Cooperative Extension, Schenectady County, where she managed the Schenectady County Recycles program and coordinated the Master Composter-Master Recycler training program. Angelina holds a Bachelor of Technology Degree from the Department of Agricultural Engineering at SUNY Cobleskill, where she studied Environmental Energy Technologies in Waste Management, and an Associate of Science Degree from SUNY Columbia-Greene Community College, where she studied Environmental Science. In 2014 she pioneered a college campus composting project that earned her the 2016 Outstanding Student Award in Environmental Technology at SUNY Cobleskill. Angelina is an active member of the New York State Association for Reduction, Reuse, and Recycling (NYSAR3) and participates in the NYSAR3 Organics Council, the Single Use Plastics Committee, the Committee for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and the Annual Organics Summit Committee. Angelina was awarded the United States Composting Council’s Young Professionals Scholarship in 2018, and continues to work with the USCC Young Professionals among other industry leadership roles and groups. Angie is happy to bring her passion for sustainable materials management to her hometown communities in Ulster County.

Tanesia White is the Recycling Educator at UCRRA. Prior to joining the agency in March 2022, Tanesia worked for the grassroots organization NYPIRG (New York Public Interest Research Group) and interned at the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) as a Water Operations Intern. Tanesia earned a bachelor’s degree in ‘Environmental Design, Policy and Planning,’ as well as a minor in Philosophy from Stony Brook University. At Stony Brook, Tanesia was a member of the Sigma Beta Honor Society and the President of Women Everywhere Believe, where she received training in partnership building and community strengthening. She is a member of the United States Composting Council (USCC), Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA), the New York State Association for Solid Waste Management (NYSASWM), and one of the co-chairs for the NYSAR³ subcommittee “Young Professionals” (YP).  Tanesia is excited to bring to Ulster County her passion for creating equitable communities through waste management and sustainable practices.