Solid Waste & Recycling Newsletter

2020 NYS Organics Summit - Registration Now Open!

Register now for the 6th annual NYS Organics Summit, taking place April 7 - 8, 2020 at the Albany Capital Center in Albany, NY. This year's theme, Food as a Resource - Expanding Opportunities, will focus primarily on managing wasted food and food scraps with the newly passed Food Donation & Food Scraps Recycling Law being a major driver for change for New York State in the coming years.

Keynote Speaker
Nora Goldstein, editor of BioCycle, will discuss the national trends of organics recycling, how New York State fits into the national picture, and what she foresees as the future of the organics management industry.

“Love Compost” Pop-Up Gallery
Love Compost is a collection of photographs by Saratoga Springs based photographer, Terri-Lynn Pellegri. As a passionate backyard composter, Terri-Lynn has found beauty in food waste, primarily from her own kitchen. What was a momentary observation became a meaningful photographic meditation, and a pathway to a grander gesture.

Tour Town of Bethlehem Compost Facility
Attendees of this year's Summit can opt to see the Town of Bethlehem’s composting facility first-hand, including the infrastructure and operational steps they are taking to transition from two decades of processing yard waste to now incorporate food scraps. The tour will include a demonstration of the Aerated Static Pile (ASP) equipment that will be used to process food scraps on a larger scale, discussion of how the new statewide organics law is influencing their plans, and a sneak peek into the Town’s new project with SUNY Cobleskill utilizing drone technology to estimate compost pile volume.

Other summit highlights include:

• Food Donation & Food Scraps Recycling Law - what's coming?
• Strengthening composting markets
• Learn how to expand yard waste composting facilities to process food scraps
• Depackagers and their role moving forward
• Developing food scraps drop off programs
• Activating residents to waste less food

Follow along on Facebook and Instagram
for updates on the 2020 NYS Organics Summit.

2019 Annual Reports Due in March 2020

• 2019 Solid Waste Management Facilities annual reports due March 1, 2020.
• 2019 Household Hazardous Waste Collection Events Annual Report are due March 1, 2020.
• 2019 Case-Specific and Large Quantity Pre-Determined BUD annual reports due March 1, 2020 or March 31, 2020 (check your BUD).
• 2019 Electronic Waste Annual Reports due March 1, 2020 via the Electronic Waste Registration and Reporting System

Webinar: Best Practices for Diverting, Preventing & Managing Wasted Food

On February 12, 2020, NYS Pollution Prevention Institute will present on experiences across New York State focused on turning waste streams into value-added products, setting up a diversion program, and implementing a community scale composting pilot. Learn more, and register now for February 12, 2020.

Valentine's Day Preparations

When many of us think of Valentine's Day, we try to think of that one special thing we can do or buy for our significant other, family member or friend. Coming to mind first is often chocolates, flowers or a romantic dinner out on the town. Get creative this Valentine's Day and think outside of that heart-shaped box of chocolates.

Handmade Touches: Skip the store-bought card and make a card with items around the house. Embroider a wall hanging or paint a picture. Ditch the big red heart chocolate box and make your own chocolate wrapped in reusable packaging. Nothing says I love you like a homemade personal touch.

Bring nature indoors: Gift a lasting memory with an indoor plant that will live for months if not years over a bouquet of flowers that will whither within days.

Repair & Re-Love: Take an old gift and make it new with a little extra care and repair. Polish and clean old jewelry, repair watches and electronics or spruce up an old item with a personal touch from an antique store or reuse store.

Get outside: Go on an adventure with your pet, enjoy a stroll through the park, check out a new hike, or visit a sculpture park.

Be creative or just say, "I love you" but, be good to our environment, good to each other, and have a Happy Valentine's Day!

Upcoming Events

• February 7, 2020: Repair Café - Castleton-on-Hudson
• February 8, 2020: Repair Café - Clifton Park
• February 22, 2020: Repair Café - Pine Bush
• February 22, 2020: Repair Café - Gardiner
• February 22 - 28, 2020: ReFashion Week - New York City
• February 27, 2020: Dare to Repair Café - Buffalo
• February 29, 2020: Repair Café - Port Jefferson Station
• February 29, 2020: Repair Café - Rondout Valley (Rosendale-Marbletown)
• NYC Recycling Events

Conferences, Workshops & Webinars

• February 12, 2020: Best Practices for Diverting, Preventing & Managing Wasted Food - Webinar
• February 22, 2020: Beyond Waste Student Summit - Syracuse
• February 24 - 27, 2020: Organic Lawn & Land Care Course - Clifton Park
• April 7 - 8, 2020: NYS Organics Summit - Albany

Funding Opportunities - Application Deadlines

• February 28, 2020: NYS DEC Household Hazardous Waste Grant Program
• Recycling Partnership Residential Curbside Recycling Grant Program - Rolling Grant Program while funding is available.

We Want To Hear From You!

Is there a topic you'd like to learn more about or a public event or workshop related to recycling (organics, textiles, traditional recyclables, etc.) you'd like the greater community to know more about? E-mail us at organicrecycling@dec.ny.gov and it could be featured in an upcoming Solid Waste & Recycling Newsletter.