SULLIVAN COUNTY, NY — The Sullivan County Department of Solid Waste & Recycling (DSWR), led by the county’s division of public works, manages all solid waste in Sullivan County.  In 2024 alone, Sullivan County residents, businesses and visitors generated over 100,000 tons of waste material. 

The DSWR is actively seeking alternative options for garbage disposal to accommodate the growing needs of our community. With landfills on the verge of reaching capacity in New York State, it is important that the people of Sullivan County do their part to reduce our waste stream. The department encourages the population of Sullivan to minimize their waste stream by reducing the amount of trash they generate, reusing what they can, and recycling or composting to minimize what is left to be landfilled. 

Recycling is a vital part of reducing waste, conserving natural resources and protecting the environment. In our community, we use a system called single-stream recycling, where all recyclable materials, paper, cardboard, glass, plastics and metals, are placed in a single bin rather than sorted by type. 

Sullivan County has opted to use single-stream recycling because of the many advantages it offers. single-stream recycling is convenient, cost efficient and has shown increased participation and landfill diversion rates. While there are some challenges involved, the overall benefits have made single-stream the best choice for our community.

One of the main reasons our county adopted single-stream recycling is because it’s easy for residents to participate. Sorting recyclables into different containers takes time, space and effort, which can be a barrier for many households and businesses. single-stream simplifies the process and makes it easy by allowing all recyclables in one bin. This convenience increases participation, which is essential for a successful recycling program. When more people recycle, more materials are diverted from landfills.

With the convenience that single-stream recycling provides, Sullivan County has seen an increase in recycling rates. Local garbage haulers are able to provide more services throughout the county by collecting garbage in one truck and single-stream recycling in another. If all recyclable materials were sorted separately, curbside recycling pickup would likely be unavailable due to cost and efficiency. When pickup services are available, more people are likely to participate. Increased participation means more paper, cardboard, glass, plastics and metals are being captured and reused rather than ending up in landfills. This helps conserve natural resources and reduces the demand for raw materials.

Diverting materials from landfills has clear environmental benefits. Landfills produce greenhouse gases, especially methane, a contributor to climate change. In fact, the closed landfills in Sullivan County are still emitting methane, which the county will continue to manage for decades to come. Recycling materials like paper, cardboard, glass, plastics and metals also uses less energy and water than creating them from virgin resources, reducing emissions overall. 

The recyclables collected through Sullivan County’s single-stream system are sorted at Republic Services’ Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in Beacon. At the recovery facility, advanced machinery separates the paper, cardboard, glass, plastics and metals. These sorted materials are then sold to manufacturers who turn them into new products. 

It’s important to acknowledge that single-stream recycling does come with challenges—the biggest being contamination. Because everything is placed in one bin, there’s a higher risk of non-recyclable materials getting mixed in. Contamination can reduce the value of recyclable materials or cause entire loads to be sent to the landfill. That’s why education is a top priority for the Sullivan County Department of Solid Waste & Recycling. We strive to inform residents, businesses and visitors about what is and isn’t recyclable, and encourage proper practices like rinsing and drying containers before placing them in single-stream recycling bins.

Is single-stream recycling new to you? Come visit one of our transfer stations to learn more, or contact the county recycling coordinator (email kassie.thelman@sullivanny.gov or call 845/807-0291).  We offer six conveniently located transfer stations throughout the county in Monticello, Ferndale, Highland, Mamakating, Rockland and Cochecton. (There are also two transfer stations operated by townships in Bethel and Neversink.) At each station, we have single-stream recycling drop-off locations. We also accept lots of other items for recycling at our transfer stations, such as scrap metal, tires, CFC-containing appliances, electronics, fluorescent light bulbs, household batteries, textiles, used motor oil, paint, food scraps and more.

In 2024 alone, we were able to divert over 4,000 tons of material for recycling. 

Single-stream recycling: 2,110 tons

Scrap metal: 1,091 tons

Tires: 335 tons

Electronic waste: 78 tons

Food scraps: 16.1 tons

Used motor oil: 9,718 gallons

CFC-containing appliances: 1,635 units

Kassie Thelman is the recycling coordinator for Sullivan County’s Department of Solid Waste & Recycling.