Single-stream charges crimp agency’s budget

Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency officials are considering increasing its fee for single stream recycling.

At a meeting Wednesday, the agency’s board members discussed the cost of disposing of recyclable materials that are not separated. Agency Executive Director Tim Rose said costs charged at single stream recycling facilities are sometimes nearly triple the $20 per ton fee levied on haulers who drop off the material at agency sites.

“In January we were paying $39 a ton,” he said. “It jumped to $59 but fortunately we didn’t have to pay that right away because shortly after that it came down to $45.18 and then it came down to $30, and now it’s at $35.”

Single stream recycling allows all recyclable material in one container while dual stream requires separation of paper from plastics, metals and glass. The agency is only able to sort dual stream recycling, which is then sold based on commodity prices, while single stream loads are sent to one of two companies.

Information on costs was not immediately available but the agency processed 7,622.94 tons of single stream recycling in 2017, a decrease of $1,405.93 tons, or 15.57 percent.

“We’re looking at essentially ... much higher prices than we had before,” board member David Gordon said. “Although it’s come down a little bit in the last month ... it’s going to be an issue for use going forward.”

Gordon also said there needs to be more attention paid to keeping solid waste out of single steam containers. “I want us to think about how we manage that issue,” he said.

“At one level we may have to realign how we ask people to separate waste,” Gordon said. “Ultimately, we’re going to have to ask manufacturers and people like that to do things a little differently. I’d like us to think about what role we want to take in working with the (county) Legislature and working with other counties.” Officials previously estimated it would cost about $2 million for equipment that could sort single stream recyclables.

“Originally we got into single stream because it was very convenient for ... the homeowners and the haulers, so that translates into cost savings,” Gordon said. “Also there was the idea we were going to get more recycling out of it, even if it wasn’t quite the same quality, and that became a very useful thing for us at the time. We’re now reaching a point where single stream for a variety of reasons has become very unattractive and the wisdom of that choice that was made a few years ago is now coming into question.”