Ulster County Recycles 40% (Yay!) Esopus Recycles Less than 20% (Boo!)

The Freeman had an article this week with good news: Ulster County has met a goal of recycling 40% of municipal waste. Though one factor for the county's success was the bad economy (less stuff bought by individuals and fewer buildings built, resulted in less waste and less construction debris), it's still a positive sign.

Unfortunately, Esopus recycled just 18.6 percent of its waste in 2009, according to Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency data -- among the worst in Ulster County:

2009 Ulster County Recycling Rates

1. New Paltz - 62.0 %
   
2. Hurley - 58.7 %
3. Shawangunk - 45.9 %
4. Gardiner - 44.3 %
5. Marbletown - 39.9 %
6. Rosendale - 36.9 %
7. Lloyd - 30.9 %
8. Saugerties - 30.0 %
9. Ulster - 28.9 %
   
10. Marlborough - 28.1 %
11. Plattekill - 24.7 %
12. Olive - 23.9 %
    
13. Esopus - 18.7 %
14. Wawarsing - 18.6 %
15. Hardenburgh - 18.5%
16. Kingston - 17.3 %
17. Denning - 16.7 %
18. Rochester - 16.7 %

Esopus is unique among those low-performing towns (under 20% recycled) in that its recycling rate has dropped consistently over the past three years: from 23.6 percent in 2007 and 22.3 percent in 2008.

The Shawangunk, Gardiner and Plattekill transfer stations used to be run by the same contractor that runs Esopus transfer station, but each is now run by town employees. Esopus is the only town in Ulster County to pay a contractor to run its transfer station.

In 2008 and 2009 combined, Esopus spent, on average, $15.98 per ton of recyclables and $102.89 on municipal solid waste (ie, landfill). In other words, it cost $0.16 cents to recycle for every dollar it cost to landfill waste.

In calendar year 2008 and 2009, the Esopus transfer station ran a $91,000 combined deficit, a loss which is borne by local taxpayers. The cost to landfill waste amounted to 46% of that cost, and the cost of contracting for its operation was 52%.The cost of recycling was just 1.5%.

More to come.