View our NEW FESTIVAL WASTE SUSTAINABILITY GUIDEBOOK
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Free Zero Waste Sorting Station Bin Rentals & More
UCRRA’s Recycling Outreach Team offers free, zero-waste sorting station bin rentals! Each Sorting Station includes three bins—trash, recycling, and compost—along with frames, color-coded lids, and signs. Simply fill out a Bin Rental Request Form,agree to the Terms and Conditions, and contact a member of our Recycling Outreach Team a few weeks prior to your event. Please note that UCRRA does not deliver or pick up any bins; you will schedule your pick up and drop off during our normal business hours. All supplies are property of UCRRA and must be returned without damages or missing parts. All rentals are free of charge, unless of damages or missing supplies, as outlined in the Rental Agreement. The individual and/or the business entity completing the Agreement assumes full responsibility of the care and maintenance of the bin(s), supplies, and equipment. The Recycling Outreach Team has many other educational services available for event organizers to engage their planning committee about waste-sustainability. Please contact us to learn more!
Site Visits & Consultations
The Recycling Outreach Team is available to assist festival organizers 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, or help with team-building activities and presentations to help motivate the planning committee. Please contact us to learn more!
Composting Services
Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency’s Partners in Composting Program is available to large food scrap generators such as special festivals/events. 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 review other composting options too!
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. 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.
Ulster County Green the Scene Program
In 2025, Ulster County launched Green the Scene: We Are Zero-Waste Bound!, a new grant program designed to support and encourage sustainable event practices that reduce waste and promote environmental stewardship across the County. Through this initiative, municipalities and nonprofit organizations hosting fairs, festivals, and community events can apply for reimbursement grants of up to $2,000 per event to cover expenses such as:
- Purchasing zero waste supplies such as bins, compostable bags, compostable service ware, cleaning supplies, etc.
- Hauling and composting services
- Hiring a dedicated Zero Waste Coordinator
Selected grantees will also receive County-branded marketing assistance to promote their sustainability efforts and can request collection bins and bags, supplied by UCRRA.
Fund recipients will be required to use an Ulster County Green the Scene tent, display branded signage at their zero-waste stations to promote the County’s efforts for a clean environment and sustainability, and file a final report detailing attendance and waste diversion rates.
Eligibility & Application
Eligible applicants include municipalities, nonprofits (501c3 or c6), community organizations, and event organizers hosting public-facing events in Ulster County — such as fairs, festivals, town-wide events, and maker shows. Organizations without nonprofit status must have fiscal sponsorship by a 501c3 or 501c6.
Events must take place in Ulster County and include a clear plan for waste diversion. Priority will be given to events with strong public outreach, partnerships with compost vendors or haulers, and those implementing Zero Waste policies.
Applications for the Green the Scene program are open through Monday, June 30, for events taking place during the 2025 season, with rolling acceptance continuing until all funds have been allocated. The grant program is supported by a $25,000 allocation in the 2025 County Budget.
Applicants must complete an online application, submit a budget for their Zero Waste initiative, and provide a summary of their waste diversion plan.
Please note that this is a County initiative, and not a grant administered by UCRRA. For questions about the application or required documentation for reimbursement, contact Kristin Shufeldt at krsh@co.ulster.ny.us or (845) 340-3566.
MORE RESOURCES
BPI Certified Compostable Serviceware Products // List
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation // Alternatives to Single Use Disposal Foam Containers Guide
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation // Recycling & Composting
Hudson Valley Garlic Festival // Showcasing a local Zero Waste Festival
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation // How To Conduct WasteAudit2008.pdf
North East Recycling Council // Best Mgmt Practices for Zero Waste Planning
NYS Association for Reduction, Reuse, Recycling // Food Donation Digital Tools
NYS Center for Sustainable Community Solutions // Browse all Grant Opportunities