Desktop Recycling Lookup

Certain types of agricultural film plastics can be recycled through the Recycling Agricultural Plastics Program (RAPP). To participate in RAPP, contact Otsego County Conservation Association at (607) 282-4087. Baling is being performed by Otsego County Soil & Water Conservation District, (607) 547-8337.

If clean, place with recycling. If aluminum foil is soiled, place in regular trash. Clean pieces can be combined into a “ball” for easier recycling.

(e.g., blenders, toasters, etc.) – Regular trash or, if substantially made of metal, recycle as scrap metal. See “Scrap Metal.” Check with your local service agencies and thrift shops regarding possible donation or resale of working items.

(“flies in the air”; dust particles; hazardous; e.g., wrapping material used on pipes and ducts) – Not accepted. This material is regulated by NYSDEC. No friable asbestos can be brought to the transfer station. Friable asbestos is commonly found in furnace and pipe insulation. Individuals personally performing removal of friable asbestos are placing themselves at risk. Please consult the yellow pages under Asbestos Abatement & Removal services. A certified asbestos remover and disposal facility is required. Additional details can be found at http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/8791.html.

Take to the Otsego County Household Hazardous Waste Day collection in early September. Check with the County Solid Waste Department for details on HHWD by calling (607)547-4225. http://www.otsegocounty.com/depts/sw/HHW.htm

Plastic barrels (1-5 gallon) are considered rigid plastic and are not acceptable for curbside recycling pickup but can be brought to the transfer stations and placed in the appropriate recycling container. Barrels can be reused for rainwater collection.

(Sometimes labeled Lithium metal; NOT lithium-ion) - Accepted at Otsego County’s Household Hazardous Waste Day collection in early September. Check with the County Solid Waste Department for details on HHWD by calling (607) 547-4225. http://www.otsegocounty.com/depts/sw.htm Otsego Auto Crushers only accepts lead based batteries. Distinguish rechargeables vs. non-rechargeables and Lithium vs. lithium ion (rechargeable).

(e.g., carbon zinc and alkaline) – Safe to throw away in the regular trash, but it is preferable to save and recycle them at Otsego County’s Household Hazardous Waste Day collection in early September. Check with the County Solid Waste Department for details on HHWD in mid-August by calling (607) 547-4225. http://www.otsegocounty.com/depts/sw/HHW.htm

Otsego County's book recycling program is temporarily suspended due to vendor constraints. We hope this will be resolved soon; meanwhile, there are various opportunities available in our area for reuse. Contact local book exchanges, libraries, nursing homes, Otsego County Conservation Association Garage Sale in April, local library book sales, Otsego County Jail, and Salvation Army Thrift Stores for information on donating your used books.

Not recyclable in Otsego County's program. Clean, dry bubble wrap can be recycled by placing in grocery store plastic film collection containers. Check also with local mailing houses regarding possible acceptance of these items.

Rings or lids from glass jars can be recycled as scrap metal or with regular recycling. Lids from saucepans can be recycled as scrap metal. Lids from canned foods, e.g., vegetable and soup cans: Cut around the end of the can almost completely but leaving a little attached and fold lid into the can. In this way, it is less likely to cut recycling employees or get caught in machinery. Screw-on lids should be cleaned and re-screwed onto cleaned jar or bottle.

The battery is the most hazardous part of a carbon monoxide detector. Remove the battery and see “Batteries.” Most carbon monoxide detectors have a plastic cover or faceplate which can be recycled. Once you have removed all batteries and recyclable casings, you can safely discard the remainder of the carbon monoxide detector with your normal trash.

Recyclable at local recycling stations or with curbside recycling. Cardboard boxes must be flattened. Wax-coated corrugated cardboard is not accepted and should be disposed of with regular trash. ("Waxed" cardboard is most often corrugated [multi-layerd] cardboard that is lined with polyethylene to prevent it from getting soggy. This material is designed to be refrigerated or frozen. Real "waxed" cardboard is a rare item and can be mistaken for cardboard or paperboard. It's rarely used by consumers and is favored by retailers for shipping produce. If you can see or feel waxy residue when you scrape a box with your fingernail, it is waxed.)

See "Electronic Media."

Call local dry cleaner or Salvation Army to see if they will accept them. Metal clothes hangers can be placed with scrap metal at transfer stations that have metal collection. Plastic hangers can be reused or recycled.

See "Electronics."

Take to local recycling station or leave curbside; must be empty, rinsed clean and dry. Including but not limited to: green, amber and clear glass; food and beverage containers; ice cream containers; liquor and wine bottles; deposit bottles; canning jars; plastic containers; soda bottles; medicine bottles; milk and water jugs; windshield washer jugs; mustard and ketchup bottles; soap and detergent containers; mouthwash bottles; salad dressing bottles; peanut butter jars; milk and juice cartons; food and beverage cans; deposit cans; foil wrap, plates and trays; some aerosol cans (emptied); shampoo bottles; cream tubes; ointment tubes; make-up containers. All of the above can be mixed together for recycling. Caps & lids can be left on. The following items are NOT included in the Otsego County Recycling Program: broken glass, drinking glasses, ovenware and ceramics, dishes, cups, plates. Andela Products in Richfield Springs may accept Pyrex and CLEAN household glass for recycling. Call (315) 858-0055.

See "Electronics."

Bring to the County’s annual Household Hazardous Waste Day collection in early September. Check with the County Solid Waste Department for details on HHWD by calling (607) 547-4225, or visiting http://www.otsegocounty.com/depts/sw/HHW.htm.

Try donating CDs and DVDs whenever possible. There are recycling options, such as Green Disk and the CD Recycling Center of America, but they may cost money. See http://www.greendisk.com or http://cdrecyclingcenter.org. CDs and DVDs are NOT accepted as part of the County's recycling program, but they can be accepted as trash at both transfer stations.

Contact your local police department.

Woven polypropylene feed bags, including those for dog, horse and bird food, are not recyclable. Alternatives to throwing in the trash include using the bags for garbage, tarps or grocery bags.

Take to the Otsego County’s annual Household Hazardous Waste Day collection in early September. Check with the County Solid Waste and Recycling Department for details on HHWD by calling (607) 547-4225.http://www.otsegocounty.com/depts/sw/HHW.htm.

Includes new-type “twisty” compact fluorescent light bulbs, or CFLs. Throw broken bulbs away as trash in a puncture-proof container. See the following safety precautions: How should I clean up a broken fluorescent bulb? EPA recommends the following cleanup and disposal guidelines. BEFORE Clean-up, VENT THE ROOM - • Open a window and leave the room for 15 minutes or more. • Shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system, if you have one. CLEAN UP for Hard Surfaces: • Carefully scoop up glass fragments and powder using stiff paper or cardboard and place them in a glass jar with metal lid (such as a canning jar) or in a sealed plastic bag. • Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder. • Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes and place them in the glass jar or plastic bag. • DO NOT USE A VACUUM OR BROOM to clean up the broken bulb on hard surfaces. CLEAN UP Carpeting or Rugs: • Carefully pick up glass fragments and place them in a glass jar with metal lid (such as a canning jar) or in a sealed plastic bag. • Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder. • If vacuuming is needed after all visible materials are removed, vacuum the area where the bulb was broken. • Remove the vacuum bag (or empty and wipe the canister), and put the bag or vacuum debris in a sealed plastic bag. DISPOSAL OF MATERIALS: • Immediately place all clean-up materials outside the building in a trash container or outdoor protected area for the next normal trash. • Wash your hands after disposing of the jars or plastic bags containing clean-up materials. • Check with your local or state government about disposal requirements in your specific area. Some states prohibit such trash disposal and require that broken and unbroken lamps be taken to a local recycling center. FUTURE CLEANING OF CARPET OR RUG: • For at least the next few times you vacuum, shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system and open a window prior to vacuuming. • Keep the central heating/air conditioning system shut off and the window open for at least 15 minutes after vacuuming is completed.

Food waste is garbage, but home composting is recommended. Contact the Otsego County Conservation Association at (607) 547-4488 or Cornell Cooperative Extension, (607) 547-2536, for more information on composting.

Household garbage and other trash can be taken directly to Otsego County’s solid waste transfer stations in Oneonta and Cooperstown at the rate of $3 per 30-gallon bag. Garbage can also be left out for pickup service by your local hauler (see website for list of haulers). Many of the town (not local) recycling stations in the county have a local garbage hauler on-site on Saturday mornings to take bagged garbage for about $2-3 per bag. Check with your town clerk for information and refer to the County list of municipalities and their transfer stations: http://www.otsegocounty.com/depts/sw/OCDropoffCenters.htm.

To dispose of unwanted gas, bring gas, in an appropriate container, to the Otsego County’s annual Household Hazardous Waste Day Collection in early September. Check with the County Solid Waste and Recycling Department for details on HHWD by calling (607) 547-4225, or visit http://www.otsegocounty.com/depts/sw/HHW.htm.

Yard waste is accepted as trash but it is more cost effective to leave grass clippings on the lawn. Grass clippings are 80-85 percent water. If you mow your lawn once a week, the clippings will filter down and decompose within 7-10 days. This method also reduces the amount of fertilizer you need by 25-30% by returning nutrients to the soil. Grass clippings can also be used as mulch around the base of shrubs. The mulch will prevent water loss and eventually will decompose. Another option is to compost, mix with leaves, wood chips or garden materials. Some municipalities have composting sites; check with your town clerk.

If humidifier is made mostly of plastic it should be placed in the trash. If made mostly of metal it can be placed with scrap metal.

Rinse out juice cartons and place in recycling. Small, single serving juice boxes and pouches are not accepted for recycling and should be disposed of in regular trash.

Plastic – Recyclable.

Rings or lids from glass jars can be recycled as scrap metal or with regular recycling. Lids from saucepans can be recycled as scrap metal. Lids from vegetable cans (e.g., beans) Cut around the end of the can almost completely but leaving a little attached so lid can be folded into the can. In this way, it is less likely to cut recycling employees or get caught in machinery.

The transfer stations do no accept incandescent light bulbs as recyclables. Place in trash or contact your local hardware store to see if they have a recycling program. Andela Products in Richfield Springs accepts all types of glass for recycling. Call (315) 858-0055 for information.

Medicine bottles and containers are not recyclable and should go in the trash unless there is a recycling number, in which case they can be recycled. Medicine bottles and containers with no recycling number are accepted at the County’s Household Hazardous Waste Day collection. Check also with local retailers including CVS regarding in-store recycling options.

Accepted at Otsego Auto Crushers, 6071 New York State 23, Oneonta, NY; (607) 432-2375. See “Scrap Metal.”

At least four private businesses handle the demolition and removal of mobile homes. Please contact the following - Tom’s Mobile Home Repair and Transport (Tom Gott, Edmeston, 607-965-8021); J&C Mobile Home Transport (Dick Williams, Sherburne, 607-674-4929); Bob Hoffman (serving northern Otsego County only, 315-866-5873).

DO NOT set out with recyclables. To dispose, snap off the needle and break the syringe tube to prevent second-hand use. Place used needles and syringes in a puncture resistant container (a large laundry detergent bottle is recommended). When the bottle is full, screw the lid on tight and tape the lid shut with duct tape or packing tape. Clearly label the bottle “Needles.” You can then dispose of needles and syringes with the regular trash; however, do not put the container in a bag with other garbage. Leave the bottle on the curb next to your regular trash so your hauler can handle it (it is recommended that you call your hauler to inquire if there are any other, specific requirements for preparing needles and syringes). Needles/syringes can also be dropped off at the outpatient lab at FoxCare and at the outpatient pharmacy at Bassett Medical Center. Needles and syringes are NOT accepted at Otsego County’s HHWD. All hospitals and nursing homes in New York State are mandated by law to accept home-generated sharps as a free community service through their sharps collection programs. In addition, pharmacies, health clinics, community-based organizations, mobile van programs, public transportation facilities, housing projects, police stations, waste transfer stations and other venues have become settings for safe sharps and offer syringe collection drop boxes (or “kiosks”) to help facilitate the safe collection of used sharps. visit the links below for locations in Otsego County. • Hospitals: http://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/aids/consumers/prevention/needles_syringes/sharps/docs/hospital_collection_sites.pdf • Nursing Homes: http://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/aids/consumers/prevention/needles_syringes/sharps/docs/nursing_home_collection_sites.pdf

Not recyclable (e.g. packing peanuts, bubble wrap, air pillow packaging). Call local mailing houses regarding possible acceptance of these items.

Bring unused latex paint to Otsego County’s annual Household Hazardous Waste Day collection in early September. Check with the County Solid Waste and Recycling Department for details on HHWD by calling (607) 547-4225. http://www.otsegocounty.com/depts/sw/HHW.htm. Mark the lids “L” for latex. Paint is received (with no limit) and is re-mixed for free distribution to municipal or not-for-profit agencies. Small amounts of leftover paint should be poured into absorbent material (e.g., kitty litter) and thrown away as trash. Empty paint cans and cans with dried out contents should be thrown away as trash with the lids removed. Clean metal lids can be disposed of as recyclables.

Take to the local recycling station or leave for your solid waste hauler with recyclables. Includes: newspapers and inserts, magazines, catalogs, junk mail, frozen food boxes, soda & beer cartons, manila folders, envelopes, paper bags; white, colored, notebook and fax paper and carbonless business forms; copy paper, ream wrappers made of paper; wrapping paper (non-metallic) and greeting cards; paper egg cartons; phone books and paperback books (soft cover); clean cardboard including corrugated boxes (wavy middle layer); clean pizza boxes; ice cream cartons; single layer cardboard (gray, brown, and non-waxy white boxes). All of the above must be clean & dry, and can be mixed together for recycling. PAPER RECYCLING DOES NOT INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING TRASH: food wrappers, cups, tissues, napkins; soaked paper; yellowed newsprint; carbon paper and blueprint paper; metallic gift wrap and all bows; waxed paper; used tissues, paper plates, used paper towels; used tissue paper; construction paper; copy paper wrappers made of vinyl or plastic sheets; wax-coated corrugated paper; paper "to-go" containers. See also “Books” and “Cardboard.” SHREDDED PAPER: Shredded paper should be stored in a clear plastic bag and placed in the recycling container at either transfer station. The Otsego County Conservation Association also provides a paper shredding service through Empire Recycling Confidata at Earth Festival in Milford each April at no charge.

The Otsego County Recycling Program does not accept plastic bags, even if they have a number or recycling symbol. Plastic bags can be recycled in retail/grocery bag recycling programs at area grocery and retail stores. This includes construction film (6 ml, etc.). See the NYSDEC, WRAP & NYSAR3 websites for details: http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/50042.html.
http://www.plasticfilmrecycling.org/wrap/wrap-1.html.

Recyclable if numbered 1-7. Containers must be empty, rinsed clean and dry. See “Containers.” Does NOT include containers formerly used for petroleum or other hazardous products such as antifreeze or “spackle buckets.” Plastic milk jugs should be flattened. THE FOLLOWING PLASTICS ARE NOT ACCEPTED: empty plastic bags; plates and tableware; medicine bottles without numbers; motor oil bottles.

Number 1-7 plastics are recyclable. Items should be clean and dry.

Can be recycled at no charge. Those still in good condition can be donated for reuse.

See "Ink Cartridges" and "Toner Cartridges."

Can be disposed of as regular trash. Even with creosote they are considered regular trash. These should never be burned.

Check with the services listed at the beginning of this reference guide. The Freecycle Network™ is a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (and getting) stuff for free in their own towns. It’s all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills. Each local group is moderated by local volunteers. Membership is free. To sign up in your community, visit https://www.freecycle.org/.

Not accepted for recycling by Otsego County; either place in trash or find a reuse for it.

Scrap metal or find a new home.

Contaminated Soils – Soils being excavated and removed due to pollution (e.g., by an underground leaking oil tank or septic system) need to be disposed of in accordance with NYSDEC regulations. Refer to the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation link for further explanation. http://www.dec.ny.gov/regulations/30902.html.

See "Aerosol Cans."

See "Needles."

See "Electronics."

If your thermostat/thermometer contains mercury (silvery liquid), bring to Otsego County’s annual Household Hazardous Waste Day collection in early September. Town of Hartwick also has a collection container, call ahead to town clerk for office hours. Check with the County Solid Waste and Recycling Department for details on HHWD by calling (607) 547-4225. http://otsegocounty.com/depts/sw/HHW.htm. If broken and/or mercury is leaking, follow procedure under “Fluorescent Bulbs or Lamps (broken),” taking similar precautions for cleanup.

Shampoo bottles, cream tubes, ointment tubes, and make-up containers are recyclable; must be empty, clean, and dry. An alternative option is TerraCycle, where many of these items can be recycled for a cost. Visit https://www.terracycle.com/en-US/ for more information.

See "Garbage."

Dispose of in regular trash. Before throwing away, try searching for a fix online. Vacuum cleaners are often either clogged with dirt, filters need cleaning, or a belt has slipped off or torn. Try searching for a Repair Cafe in your area.

See "Electronic Media."

Wood pellet bags may be recycled along with single-use bags and film plastics at area stores. Please follow these guidelines when preparing to recycle your bags: cut or tear the top strip off completely and discard. Turn bag inside out to remove all pellets and residue. Flatten or roll bags to take up as little space as possible and place in the film plastic recycling container at a participating store. Please do NOT include salt/deicer, pool chemicals, or similar bags. The chemical residue on these bags may make them unusable for recycling purposes at this time. DO NOT put pellet bags out with curbside recycling or in recycling containers at the transfer stations.

City of Oneonta residents can use the yard waste facility on Silas Lane after calling the city’s Department of Public Works for an appointment to enter the yard. Call your town or village municipal clerk to see if your town provides yard waste collection or drop-off.