Tompkins County, NY Trash & Recycling: Recycling Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing law
- Tompkins County Code § 140-6
- Handling charge
- $25 residential / $100 commercial per load
- First violation fine
- $15 (generator) / $50 (other)
- Repeat offense
- Misdemeanor, up to $2,500
- Enforcer
- Solid Waste Manager, police, peace officers
Summary
Tompkins County requires every waste generator to source-separate regulated recyclables from the rest of their trash before it is collected or delivered to a disposal facility, and bans commingling recyclables with garbage. Haulers can refuse mixed loads, and violators face fines starting at $15 and rising to $2,500 for repeat offenders.
§ 140-6. Source separation and waste handling.
A. Solid waste generated or originated within the county that is left for collection or that is delivered by the waste generator to a solid waste management facility shall be handled and disposed of as follows:
(1) Prior to initial collection or transport, such solid waste shall be source separated by the waste generator into regulated recyclables and remaining solid waste as provided in the rules and regulations promulgated hereunder.
(2) Source separated regulated recyclables shall not be commingled with other solid waste during collection, transportation, processing, or storage following collection.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 140, Article I of the Tompkins County Code is the county's Mandatory Recycling Law, adopted under General Municipal Law § 120-aa to manage recyclables and implement state waste-reduction policy. " Separated recyclables must go to a licensed hauler, a county recycling hauler, a recycling dropoff center, an authorized recycling facility, or a waste reduction program; once placed in a county-supplied container, the material becomes county property. No hazardous waste or non-recyclable solid waste may go into a recycling container or dropoff center, and no facility besides an authorized recycling facility may accept separated regulated recyclables.
Section 140-9 backs this up with a handling charge, $25 per load for a residential permit and $100 per load for everyone else, if regulated recyclables are not properly separated when solid waste is delivered to a county facility. Enforcement under § 140-10 lets police officers, peace officers, and the Solid Waste Manager issue appearance tickets; a waste generator's conviction carries $15 for a first violation, $30 for a second, and $50 for each violation after that, while a non-generator's conviction runs $50, $100, and $250.
Three convictions within 24 months escalate later violations to a misdemeanor carrying a fine of up to $2,500, and each day a violation continues is a separate offense.
Violations & Fines
Failing to source-separate recyclables from trash before collection or disposal violates § 140-6 and can draw a $25-$100 handling charge under § 140-9. Convictions under § 140-10 carry escalating fines, $15/$30/$50 for waste generators and $50/$100/$250 for others, rising to a misdemeanor with a fine up to $2,500 after three violations in 24 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is recycling mandatory in Tompkins County?
What happens if I mix recyclables with trash at a county facility?
What is the fine for violating the recycling law?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tompkins County
New York rules heatmap·Compare Tompkins County to another location·View the New York trash & recycling overview
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