Recycling

General Information

Curbside collection is offered county-wide every other week. Residents may also bring recyclables to the Recycling and Solid Waste Center (RSWC) at 160 Commercial Avenue in Ithaca. For more information, please click on the links at the left of this page.

Residents of Tompkins County are required to recycle newspaper, glass bottles and jars, metal food and beverage cans and corragated cardboard.  Optional materials that residents are encouraged to recycle include mixed paper, boxboard, #1 through #7 narrow neck plastic bottles and jugs, yogurt containers and margarine/butter tubs. For a full list of recyclable materials, click here.

Reduce, Reuse, RECYCLE. . .

Reducing and reusing have an even lighter environmental impact than recycling since they both use only your energy. However, it is much better to recycle rather than throwing things away. Recycling uses materials to make new products that we use in our everyday lives. Recycling makes sense, it helps save energy, creates jobs, and reduces the need to acquire and use additional natural resources. Click on the terms to learn more about Reduce, Reuse, and Rebuy (green purchasing).