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Dan Rain Recycling Coordinator c/o Highway Department 74 Elm Avenue East Selkirk, NY  12158 (518) 439-4955, extension 1510 E-mail:   Hours 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri

MANDATORY RECYCLING LIST
RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL
PAPER & CARDBOARD	HOW TO PREPARE	TOSS IN TRASH
Newspaper    Including Inserts	Recycle per hauler's instructions or at the Transfer Station. DO NOT leave out in the rain or snow.	Paper plates, napkins, cups and paper towels Food contaminated boxes Plastic wrappers Metal or plastic bindings Paper clips and rubber bands School binders - remove paper and recycle, toss or re-use the binder Plastic bags - recycle at stores or reuse       QUESTIONS? Contact the Town Recycling Coordinator contact information at the top of this page
Corrugated Cardboard and  Paperboard triple and single layer	FLATTEN to save your space and ours Empty all contents Boxes will collapse when the bottom is opened
Paper bags All non-shiny bags okay	Empty, FLATTEN and place with corrugated cardboard and paperboard
Magazines and Catalogs	Recycle per hauler's instructions or at the Transfer Station Call your hauler if not sure of the instructions
Home, Office, School Paper and Junk Mail	Recycle per hauler's instructions or at the Transfer Station Include stationery, photocopies, store receipts, envelopes, junk mail Staples are acceptable Window envelopes are okay
CONTAINERS	HOW TO PREPARE	TOSS IN TRASH
Glass Bottles and Jars     Clear,     Green,     Brown	Remove caps, lids, rings Rinse thoroughly and drain Labels are okay Do not crush jars/bottles Recycle per hauler's instructions or at Transfer Station	Plastic spray nozzles Window or auto glass Ceramics or crystal Mirrors Drinking glasses Pyrex or Corning Ware Dishes Styrofoam food containers Plexiglas Motor oil containers Alkaline batteries - recycle other types of batteries at locations throughout Town (Town Hall, Town Highway Garage, Post offices in Slingerlands and Selkirk, Radio Shack in Glenmont) Recycle plastic bags/film at retail stores Recycle metal objects at the Rupert Road Transfer Station Donate small appliances (recycle computers, telephones, electronics at Town collection events or at the Transfer Station)
Plastic Containers ALL plastic bottles, containers and lids EXCEPT NO Styrofoam, NO plastic bags/film and NO compostable or bio-degradable plastics	Remove and discard lids, caps, tops and spray nozzles Rinse or wash thoroughly and drain Flatten large milk, juice jugs to prevent blowing in the wind Return deposit bottles to stores
Metal Cans   Aluminum,   Tin,   Bi-metal Aerosol cans are okay	Rinse or wash thoroughly Include all metal lids in the can (Do NOT need to remove labels)
Aluminum Trays and Aluminum Foil	Rinse or clean thoroughly for reuse or recycling

Click here for a printable version of the above list (pdf)

Recycling of certain items is mandatory for all businesses and residents in the Town of Bethlehem (see the brochure.)

Single Stream Recycling: Some of the waste haulers in Town are now collecting recyclable materials all together in one “single stream” container. In addition to the standard recyclables, there are now several more types of items that can be accepted for recycling in “single stream” than in the past, including

• All plastic containers clean of contaminants, with a few exceptions: Containers made of Styrofoam/polystyrene and very small items (straws, utensils, pens, etc.) are NOT recyclable with the Single Stream system. NOTE: Plastic store bags, and plastic film (i.e. shrink wrap, dry cleaning bags, etc.) should be recycled at the grocery or department store plastic bag recycling, NOT placed in your single stream container.
• Rigid plastics (i.e. hard plastic toys, the old plastic recycling bins from your hauler, all-plastic parts from tools and household items, etc.).
• Hard cover books can now be recycled along with all other types of paper and cardboard, including soiled pizza boxes (though wax paper and remaining food must be removed)

Please follow the hauler’s instruction sheet and/or sticker on the can lid about what materials can be placed in that bin and how that should occur.

NOTE from Town Recycling Coordinator, Dan Rain: "I have twice toured the County Waste Single Stream facility in Albany where haulers such as Robert Wright and County Waste take their single stream recyclables. I have developed a slide show with photos and information about how that facility operates. Click here to view the slide show."

Separated Materials: A few haulers continue to require recycling to be separated by residents and businesses before collection. Glass bottles, plastic containers (almost all types are now recycled--see chart above), and metal cans must be placed loose in the recycling bin provided by private waste haulers. Newspapers, corrugated cardboard (flattened), kraft paper bags, magazines/catalogs, paperboard, single layer boxes (flattened) and office paper should be bagged or tied according to the hauler’s instructions. It is important to FLATTEN all boxes before putting curbside for recycling.

Those who use the Rupert Road Transfer Station are also required to separate the above-mentioned items from trash for recycling. (NOTE: The Town is, however, currently researching the viability of offering single stream recycling service at the Transfer Station in the future).

Corrugated cardboard, paperboard boxes (single layer cardboard) can be recycled all year round at the Elm Avenue Park 'n' Ride at the Town bins, and all types of paper and cardboard can be recycled at the Green Fiber bins there.

The public is encouraged to donate their used eyeglasses, sunglasses and hearing aids to their local Lions club; look for the blue and white Lions Recycle For Sight collection box at the Town Clerk's office at Town Hall.  Located there are also drop-off boxes for recycling the following:  U.S. flags, license plates, six-pack rings, non-alkaline household batteries and cell phones.  Cell phones, plastic six-pack rings and household batteries can also be dropped off any time during business hours at the Highway Garage in Selkirk or Elm Avenue Park Offices.  Year round voluntary recycling is offered for single layer paperboard boxes, clothing and shoes, paperback books, and more.  Recycle at the Rupert Road Transfer Station or call the Recycling Coordinator for drop-off locations for items as well as how to recycle hard cover textbooks by removing the cover.  For more information, please see the Voluntary Recycling List.

If you cannot wait for the Household Hazardous Waste Day in the Spring or the Fall Electronics Recycling Program, please see the article in Recycling News (left), on how and where to recycle electronics such as computers, printers, faxes, cell phones, etc.

A voluntary recycling program for telephone books was arranged by the Town with Green Fiber, a paper recycling company.  Two (2) square green bins are placed next to the orange clothing bins at the Elm Avenue Park n' Ride; the bins will be there April through October.  If recycling telephone books there, do not include the plastic bag.

While visiting local stores, check out the Environmentally Preferable Products to purchase, such as paper products with post-consumer recycled content, remanufactured ink and toner cartridges, and furniture, binders and organizers made with post-consumer recycled content steel or plastic.  Also look for eco-friendly or nontoxic cleaners.  Purchasing recycled content items closes the loop of recycling.

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RECYCLING INSTRUCTIONS REQUIRED BY HAULERS* FOR PLACING RECYCLABLES AND TRASH CURBSIDE

Instructions and haulers are subject to change due to changing rules, regulations, permits, and recycling facilities acceptance of items.  The haulers mentioned here have permits to recycle and pick up trash in the Town of Bethlehem.

DEFINITIONS AND DESCRIPTIONS

• Do not use plastic bags unless instructed by hauler.
• Commingled is bottles and cans mixed together.
• Paperboard/boxboard is the single layer cardboard of cereal, cracker, tissue, and shoe boxes.  Freezer boxes are NOT acceptable.
• All Cardboard MUST be flattened to save space in the hauler’s truck.

Robert Wright Disposal, Inc.                                               439-3376

All Recyclables are picked up weekly along with the trash on the scheduled day.
All recyclables will now go into your new 64-gallon, green lid, recycling cart.

ALL RECYCLING WILL NOW BE COLLECTED WITH AUTOMATED TRUCKS.  THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ARE IMPORTANT FOR THE SUCCESS OF THE SINGLE STREAM PROGRAM.

• Place recycling cart out the night prior to your scheduled collection day.
• Place recycling cart at least 4 feet away from trash cart. Be sure all carts are at least 4 feet away from mailboxes, basketball hoops, telephone poles and parked cars. We suggest placing the trash cart on one side of your driveway and the recycling cart on the opposite side.
• Please place your recycle cart out only when full or nearly full. Dumping carts with small amounts of recyclables wastes fuel and other natural resources.
• Your old recycle bin is yours to keep. Do not place it at the curb because our automated trucks cannot dump it. If you wish to dispose of the bin, simply place it inside your new recycling cart and it will be recycled.
• Please cut up large cardboard boxes and place them inside your new recycling cart. DO NOT leave cardboard under or near the recycling cart.

For more information, please contact Robert Wright Disposal or visit their web site at http://www.robertwrightdisposal.com/web/recycling.php.

Allied Waste Services of N. America, Inc.                               785-7030

Recyclables should be put out on scheduled day:  commingled bottles and cans one week and paper items the next week. Trash is collected weekly.  A calendar is provided to each customer.

• Bottles and cans commingled loose in blue recycling bin
• Newspapers, kraft paper bags, magazines, office paper, junk mail, paperboard, telephone books and clean, dry milk and juice cartons commingled in a second recycling bin
• Corrugated cardboard emptied, flattened, cut to 2’ by 2’ size and placed near the paper recycling bin

County Waste & Recycling Service, Inc.                                  877-7007

All recyclables should be placed curbside next to trash on scheduled day.
Recycling is picked up every other week. Trash is picked up weekly.  A calendar is provided to each customer.

• Plastic and glass bottles, metal cans and wax coated milk and juice cartons are to be commingled loose in recycling bin
• Mix paper items in second recycling bin:  newspapers, magazines, catalogs, telephone books and boxboard (cereal boxes and the like)
• Corrugated cardboard, empty, flattened and stacked next to paper goods

I.C.S. of Albany                                                                  439-4209

Trash is picked up every week, note even-odd weeks for recyclables.

• Plastic and glass bottles, metal cans and wax coated milk and juice cartons are to be commingled loose in recycling bin on even weeks
• Newspapers, magazines, catalogs, telephone books, boxboard (cereal boxes and the like) and cardboard (empty, flattened) in recycling bin on odd weeks

Cross Brothers Transportation, Inc. – Rubbish Services          767-3127

• All trash and recyclables must be at curbside by 5:00 AM on the day of your pickup; curbside means within 5 feet of roadside.
• Commingled recyclables must be cleaned and rinsed before being put in the recycling bin loose, not bagged. Commingled recyclables consist of Food Containers Only, made of glass, plastics, and tin/bi-metal or aluminum cans and aluminum foil.
• Newspapers and mixed paper must be bagged or tied and placed next to commingled recycling bin.
• Corrugated cardboard and paperboard must be flattened out and tied together with string prior to being put out for collection.

*PERMITTED HAULER REQUIREMENTS

1. Compliance with all mandatory residential and commercial recycling criteria.
2. Submission of mandatory quarterly recycling report forms.
3. Hours of Collection:
        Commercial stops            5:00 AM – 6:00 PM              Monday – Saturday
        Residential stops             6:00 AM – 6:00 PM              Monday – Saturday

Your hauler MIGHT pick up bulky items.  Bulky items include refrigerators, washers, dryers, furniture, and tires, for example. You must call hauler to arrange a pickup.  Often there is an extra fee for these extra items.  Many bulky items are accepted at the Rupert Road Transfer Station.

Look at the Voluntary Recycling List (see second page) and Donating Reusables Brochure for additional recycling and reuse of household items.

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DONATING REUSABLES

For a comprehensive Donating Reusables brochure that includes locations, telephone numbers, and items accepted at local organizations, please click here.

Before throwing out reusable items, first check with your local day care facilities, schools, churches and hospitals. They may need books, magazines, games, toys, furniture, flower pots, clothing or have a thrift shop that supports their programs through sales.

All donated clothing should be in current season, clean, and not torn. Many organizations do not have large storage areas but are happy to receive your donations. Please call ahead.

Furniture and appliances must be undamaged and in working condition. Padded items and mattresses must be clean and not torn, with no holes. Check with your municipality for proper disposal of broken furniture and non-working appliances.

Additional Information for Reusable Items

Cotton towels and cotton clothing - stained, torn cotton items make great rags for home, or check with your local gas station mechanic. Many veterinarians, animal shelters and rescue groups will also take clean towels (they can be stained, have tears/small holes, as long as the towel is still usable).

Eye and Sun glasses - Bethlehem Lions Club collects eye and sun glasses for reuse. Deposit metal and plastic framed glasses in boxes located in the Town Hall, Town Library, Key Banks, Trustco, Charter One, Bank of America, Cohoes Savings Banks, DiNapoli, Hughes and Buenau's Opticians. The Bethlehem Lions Club also accepts hearing aids.

Hearing aids - The Bethlehem Lions Club accepts hearing aids—see Eye Glasses above for drop off locations.

Shoe Exchange (if one wears two different sized shoes) - instead of discarding the odd sized shoe, why not investigate The One Shoe Crew, 86 Clavela Avenue, Sacramento, CA 95828. This organization attempts to match up persons who need different sized left and right shoes. Another alternative is the National Odd Shoe Exchange, Phoenix, AZ, their telephone number is 602-841-6691.

Styrofoam (PS) peanuts - Stores like Ship, Copy and More in Delmar will accept Styrofoam packing peanuts and foam blocks (must be clean and dry). Check with other shipping companies.

Greeting cards - Shiny, glossy cards can be recycled with magazines and catalogs. Non-shiny cards and envelopes are recycled with office/home/copy paper. Greeting card fronts can be reused by cutting the front/picture off and gluing that to a piece of colored paper or cardboard. Also, St Jude’s Ranch for Children accepts greeting card fronts. If you would like to recycle card fronts, send Campbell UPCs, purchase cards or make a monetary donation visit www.stjudesranch.org or call 800-492-3562.

Old Flags - deposit in special boxes at Town Hall, the Library, and after 3:00 p.m. at the American Legion Post on West Poplar Drive, Delmar, for proper disposal.

Yarn, Embroidery thread, and other craft materials - craft and quilt clubs, art classes at schools, senior projects and scout troops may need these items for projects.

Household batteries - Recycle lithium, rechargeable (nickel-cadmium), button, lithium ion, mercury, cadmium and sealed lead acid batteries in boxes at Town Hall, Elm Avenue Park, Highway Department in Selkirk, Rupert Road landfill, Radio Shack stores, and various Post Offices. NOTE: All alkaline batteries can go in the trash.

Plastic six-pack rings - recycle in special boxes located at the Town Hall, Elm Avenue Park and the Highway Department in Selkirk.

Records, tapes, and discs - look under the yellow page headline in the telephone book for Buying, Trading and Selling Used Audio Tapes, Records, and Discs. They must be free of scratches and not warped.

Second hand stores - listed in the yellow pages of the telephone book, see additional sources for selling or donating reusable clothing and furniture.

Pet Supplies – Many animal shelters and rescue groups will accept used pet bowls, toys and leashes. Check on-line or the yellow pages.

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