Mandatory Recycling
Recycling is mandatory in Ulster County. All persons, commercial businesses, schools, institutions, and non-profit organizations are required to source separate the regulated recyclable materials. Ulster County Businesses also have annual reporting requirements under the law, to verify their recycling practices. The Agency offers many programs and services in pursuit of our mission. The UCRRA Recycling Outreach Team is available to assist with education and enforcement practices to ensure compliance with the Ulster County Recycling Law. Visit our webpage to learn more about local laws.
Free Posters, Bin Stickers, & More
UCRRA can provide free collection bin stickers for Recycling, Composting, and Trash receptacles. UCRRA also offers free posters to improve recycling or composting sorting stations at your facility. The Recycling Outreach Team has many other fact sheets, guidebooks, and media available for businesses to engage their employees about waste-sustainability. Please contact us to request supplies.
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!
Composting Services
Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency’s Partners in Composting Program is available to large food scrap generators such as; commercial businesses, cafés/restaurants, grocers, food manufacturers, office buildings, schools, hospitals/assisted living facilities, special festivals/events, or local municipalities. Partners must become enrolled in our composting service to set up a new composting account. To learn more, please contact Angelina Brandt, Director of Sustainability at APEO@UCRRA.ORG. UCRRA’s Recycling Outreach Team can provide a high level of consultation services about other composting options too!
Tours & Presentations
The Recycling Outreach Team offers many other services that would make great team-building activities or professional development for your staff. Please visit our webpage to learn more!
TIPS FOR BETTER RECYCLING
- Contact your recycler to make sure you understand the Do’s and Don’ts of your recycling program. Ask for a flyer or Fact Sheet on what can be recycled with the company.
- Make sure recycling bins are cleaned regularly and well-maintained.
- Provide employees with a copy of your recycling policy, and send reminder memos for Earth Day, America Recycles Day, etc.
- Recycling bins should be clearly labeled for employees and/or customers. If possible, color-code bins or make sure each recycling bin looks consistent in size, color, etc.
- Use signs to identify the recycling bins and use photos to what materials can be recycled/composted/discarded. UCRRA offers free recycling/trash/compost stickers for businesses!
- Make sure recycling bins are always located directly next to trash bins.
- Do not line the recycling bin with plastic bags, especially black plastic bags.
- Keep a separate bin for deposit containers (water bottles, soda cans, etc) where employees have lunch or snacks. Use the funds from redemption or donate the funds to a local community group.
- Periodically share your recycling stats with your employees/customers to keep them motivated to recycle right.
FUNDING FOR BUSINESSES
Rethink Food Waste NY – Free Technical Assistance Available!
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation recently announced a new three-year contract with the Center for EcoTechnology (CET) to provide additional technical assistance for those interested in sustainably managing excess food and food scraps, to further reduce the amount of wasted food in New York State. This new initiative provides free food waste solutions for New York businesses, food relief organizations, and others. CET will provide customized recommendations to reduce the amount of food wasted, create solutions to realize potential monetary savings to your purchasing costs, and assist in implementing food scraps collection and recycling programs. Assistance is available at no cost to businesses, composting facilities, municipalities, and others in New York. Learn more about Rethink Food Waste NY and how to get started today.
Community Reuse Grant – Up to $5,000 Available!
The New York State Association of Reduction, Reuse, Recycling has developed the Community Reuse Grant ($5,000) to recognize community-based partnerships, businesses, or non-profit organizations whose work has or will lead to lasting benefits that enhance community quality of life and ensure stewardship of the environment by saving money, energy, and natural resources. The grant can be awarded for $5,000 to one winner, up to a total of five (5) grants of $1,000 each, at the discretion of the judges. Organics-related projects will NOT be considered for this particular grant. Applications must be received no later than October 1st. Learn more about the Community Reuse Grant.
NYS Pollution Prevention Institute – Up to $50,000 Available!
NYSP2I’s extended technical assistance is available to New York companies at a cost-effective rate. Business benefits of NYSP2I project support through access to expertise to industry-experienced engineers, technicians, and environmental scientists, cost savings through more efficient resource use, reduced waste generation, tax benefits, and more. Learn more about working with NYS Pollution Prevention Institute.
The Recycling Partnership – Recycling Inclusion Fund
Research shows that recycling services across the U.S. disadvantage certain streets, neighborhoods, and housing types along socioeconomic lines. The Recycling Inclusion Fund directs grant dollars toward investment in recycling infrastructure and education equity, a training and leadership program geared towards communities of color, and research into the challenges that hinder a more equitable circular economy. Eligible Projects: (1) Research: To identify the state of recycling access and participation, barriers, and needs in BIPOC communities across the U.S. Impact: Improve program efficiency to increase material capture; empowered residents so that they can actively participate in recycling. (2) Access and Education: To reach and empower BIPOC populations with recycling access and education resources that meet their needs. Impact: Expanded range of household populations reached; increased household capture; achievement of equitable access for all. (3) Leadership Training Programs: To create leadership opportunities in the sustainability sector for recent BIPOC college graduates through the “Fellowship Through Partnership” Program, offering experience and training.
Impact: Establishment of a diverse talent pipeline with exposure to the full recycling value chain; incorporation of diverse perspectives to deliver strong solutions. Learn more about the Recycling Inclusion Fund program or contact jlevine@recyclingpartnership.org
Keep America Beautiful – The Great American Cleanup
The Great American Cleanup prompts individuals to take greater responsibility for their local environment by conducting grassroots community service projects that engage volunteers, local businesses, and civic leaders. A successful Great American Cleanup project removes litter from roadsides, or plants trees and gardens to promote green infrastructure, recycles cans, bottles, electronics, paper, tires, clothing, or restores business districts to spur economic activity, or similar objectives. Successful projects must fulfill the needs of the local community; that’s why KAB works with local community and business leaders, as well as other key stakeholders to gain knowledge about the community’s needs and carefully select and execute appropriate projects. Learn more about the Great American Cleanup project.
Keep America Beautiful – Unify & Beautify Community Grant Program
Through a coalition of corporate sponsors, Keep America Beautiful seeks innovative grant applications for programs that will unify communities as they address their community improvement needs. This comprehensive grant application is designed to support the KAB Affiliate network, other nonprofit organizations, and community groups to implement programs or projects designed to build clean, green, and beautiful places for all to thrive and enjoy. Funding is available independently or collectively to: promote public space recycling collection, building strong neighborhoods within and along Martin Luther King Jr. boulevards, beautification through tree planting, and prevent littering by addressing cigarette litter and collect litter from the nation’s waterways. Learn more here or contact Isaac Nicholson, inicholson@kab.org
Keep America Beautiful – Cigarette Litter Prevention Program
Keep America Beautiful awards CLPP grants to eligible recipients dedicated to eradicating litter and beautifying their communities. An effective CLP Program includes four proven, field-tested solutions or strategies for reducing cigarette butt litter: (1) Encourage enforcement of litter laws, including cigarette litter; (2) Raise awareness about the issue using public service messages; (3) Place ash receptacles at transition points such as entrances to public buildings; and (4) Distribute pocket or portable ashtrays to adult smokers. Eligible recipients include Business improvement districts and Downtown associations (among other eligible applicants). In 2020, Keep America Beautiful offered individual merit-based grants in amounts of $2,500, $5,000, $10,000, and $20,000, totaling more than $500,000 in total funds. Learn more here or contact inicholson@kab.org
MORE RESOURCES
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation // Recycling for Businesses
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation // Buy Recycled Products
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation // Reducing Office Paper Handbook
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation // How To Conduct WasteAudit2008.pdf
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation // Food Donation for Businesses
North East Recycling Council // Business Recycling Assistance Guide for the Northeast States
North East Recycling Council // Best Mgmt Practices for Zero Waste Planning
North East Recycling Council // Environmentally Preferrable Purchases for the Northeast
BPI Certified Compostable Serviceware Products // List
North East Recycling Council // Green Hotels Guide
NYS Pollution Prevention Institute // Guide: Managing Business Food Waste
NYS Association for Reduction, Reuse, Recycling // Food Donation Digital Tools
Environmental Protection Agency // Resources for Businesses
Environmental Protection Agency // Assessing Wasted Food
U.S. Composting Council // A Guide to Workplace Composting
Cornell Waste Management Institute // CompostingCaseStudies…becausearindCWMI.pdf
Cornell Waste Management Institute // Waste Prevention Tools at Work
Federal Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act
NYS Center for Sustainable Community Solutions // Browse all Grant Opportunities