Annual Recycling Report

 The 2023 reporting cycle begins January 1st 2024 and ends March 1st 2024.

What is the UCRRA Annual Recycling and MSW Report?
UCRRA is a solid waste authority and is designated as the solid waste planning unit for Ulster County. UCRRA develops and implements a Local Solid Waste Management Plan (LSWMP) and reports to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation as required by 6-NYCRR Part 366-2.2. This report aids in evaluating success in LSWMP goals, and other important indicators in solid waste management planning. The Report also serves as a mechanism to affirm mandatory recycling practices, as established in the Ulster County Source Separation and Recycling Law and the Ulster Count Food Waste Prevention & Recovery Act.

Who is required to complete this report?
If you manage a commercial business, corporation, educational institution, not-for-profit organization, etc. or any other legal entity including a municipality in Ulster County, you are required to recycle. Pursuant to Section 16 and Section 10 (b) of the Ulster County Mandatory Source Separation and Recycling Law, all commercial and institutional waste generators of ten employees or more are required to report recycling practices to the Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency, enabling the Agency to monitor progress in meeting the State and County recycling goals. Failure to comply, complete, and respond to this request for information is considered an unlawful act.

Additionally, certain facilities identified as large food scrap generators are required to maximize the reduction of wasted food by separating edible food for donation, and recycling all remaining food scraps via organics recycling services, or divert wasted food to livestock feeding operations. These large food scrap generators must complete the report per the Ulster County Mandatory Food Waste Prevention and Recovery Act. Failure to comply, complete, and respond to this request for information is considered an unlawful act.

Do small businesses with less than 10 employees have to complete the report? 
Yes, small businesses with less than ten employees may be subject to reporting.  Section 16 subpart b of the Law states that the Agency may expand reporting requirements in order to track the flow of regulated recyclable materials, or monitor progress in meeting the State and County recycling goals.

If my businesses is not located in Ulster County, do I still have to complete the report? 
Yes, if your facility is located outside of Ulster County but accepts wastes/recyclables that were generated within Ulster County, then you are subject to reporting requirements. Failure to comply, complete, and respond to this request for information is considered an unlawful act.

Do I need to complete a separate report for each business location in Ulster County?
Yes. Waste characterization data must be reported for each location, listed separately on individual forms. Photocopy the blank form and complete one for each location.

How do I complete this form?
The official notice contains detailed instructions for how to complete the form. Read these instructions carefully! Incomplete forms will not be accepted.

Contact your waste hauler/recycler. 
Your waste/recycling service providers can help with documentation about how much trash or recycling your facility generated last year, or you may estimate using the cubic yard capacity of your dumpsters and the frequency of pick-ups – found on your customer invoices.

Report all items that were separated from the trash. 
Scrap metal, electronics, wood pallets, fluorescent lighting, batteries etc. should also be noted on the report. Complete the report for any applicable wastes generated by the facility and separated for the purpose of recycling. For each material you report, you can contact the company/recycling service provider directly for more documentation.

Keep a record of all your waste and recycling transactions throughout the year.
This will make it easier to locate all the information requested in the Report from year to year.

Begin working on the report as soon as you receive the request letter. 
You will continue to receive notices until the report is submitted. Should you run into questions while completing the report, please reach us so we can provide support in a timely manner.

Read the instructions and complete all three sections. 
Incomplete forms will not be accepted.

Recycling conserves natural resources
When we recycle, we’re collecting materials that can be reused as a feedstock for manufacturing new products. Recycling decreases the need to extract virgin materials from natural environments, which reduces land disturbances, conserves natural resources, water, and energy.

Recycling reduces environmental pollution
The manufacturing of goods, and the transportation and disposal of waste creates greenhouse gas emissions that could be greatly reduced by recycling. However, the most impactful way to avoid these emissions is to reduce and reuse items before they need to be recycled or discarded.

Recycling improves our communities
Recycling is a citizenship skill that demonstrates leadership and concern for the environment. Recycling reduces litter and improves our communities by promoting ecological literacy.

Recycling saves landfill space
Not everything can be reduced, reused, or recycled, and we need to conserve available landfill space for those items that cannot be diverted from disposal.

Recycling creates jobs
It’s estimated that there are 757,000 recycling-related jobs in the United States, and these careers represent $36 billion in wages and $6.7 billion in tax revenue each year (EPA)

Recycling…it’s the Law!
Recycling is mandatory in Ulster County. All persons are required to source separate the regulated recyclable materials. Please contact us to anonymously report non-compliance.

The Agency’s Director of Sustainability and Recycling Educator are available to assist municipalities, businesses, schools, and other institutions with implementing or improving their recycling programs. Learn more here.