FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 13, 2019

CITY OF KINGSTON TO SWITCH TO DUAL-STREAM RECYCLING COLLECTION

New Recycling Totes to be Delivered between March 25-April 5

KINGSTON, NY – The City of Kingston will be switching to dual-stream recycling on April 1, 2019, changing from the current single-stream process of putting all recyclables in one tote. This means City residents will be receiving a new tote – blue with a yellow lid, and going forward, recycling will be separated into two totes.  

Paper and cardboard will go into the new blue tote with yellow lid, and will be placed curbside every other week. Glass, plastic and metal will go into the current blue tote, and will be placed curbside the alternating week. Trash pickup will continue as normal. Businesses that currently receive municipal collection without brown or blue totes will also be switching to Dual Stream Recycling and should separate paper and cardboard in a separate bin from plastic, glass and metal when it is placed curbside.

In order to facilitate this transition, Cascade, the City's tote vendor, will be delivering a new blue recycling tote with yellow lid to each household beginning March 25 through early April. The City of Kingston’s Public Works Department will be removing the existing black or blue lids affixed to the current blue tote, with a new blue lid starting in early April. 

This change is due to a mandate from the Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency (UCRRA), our recycling disposal site, which has issued tighter restrictions in reaction to changing demands. UCRRA will no longer accept single-stream recycling after March 31, 2019.

“The industry is changing and we have to change with it,” said Mayor Steve Noble. “Recycling is an important part of helping to reduce our waste disposal costs and to improve the environment. I want to thank DPW for their efforts to make this transition successful. I also want to thank my Office of Environmental Education and Sustainability for their efforts to keep recycling on the forefront of our minds. This is another important step towards implementing the goals in our Climate Action Plan.”

Each residence will receive through the mail, information which will outline these changes and will include the new calendar and collection schedule. Residents will receive a separate recycling flyer that is easily displayed for quick access. To further educate residents about the transition, the new yellow and blue lids will be affixed with labels that show exactly what items belong in each tote. Additional resources and information are available at www.kingston-ny.gov/recycle, where residents will find the printable flyer with sorting information, and the recycling/refuse calendar. Representatives from the Office of Environmental Education and Sustainability and DPW will be on hand to answer questions at a public information meeting at City Hall on March 21, 2019 at 6:30pm.

“DPW works each and every day to provide the essential services needed to effectively run this city,” said Edward Norman, the Superintendent of the City of Kingston’s Department of Public Works. “Recycling is one of those services. This new collection system is going to be a more effective way for us to decrease contamination of our recyclables. We are doing everything we can to make this transition as smooth as possible and we encourage residents to contact us if they have any questions or concerns.” 

In late 2018, the City of Kingston received a grant from the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation to fund enhanced Recycling Education and Coordination in 2019 to support the mandated shift in recyclable collection to a new system. This funding will aid in the education and outreach for the effective transition of dual-stream recycling collection.

Questions can be addressed to DPW Dispatch at 845-338-2114 or [email protected] or in-person by attending the Recycling Transition Public Informational Meeting.

Recycling Transition Public Information Meeting

Thursday, March 21, 2019

6:30pm

City Hall Common Council Chambers 420 Broadway

Kingston NY 12401

Additional links:

Detailed information at: https://www.kingston-ny.gov/recycle

English and Spanish refuse/recycling calendars at Service News

Climate Action Plan: https://kingston-ny.gov/content/8399/8491/15147/10454/10466.aspx