If clean, please place in Blue Bin with bottles and cans. Aluminum foil (as well as other Blue Bin items) can be taken to the Rock Cut Road Transfer Station. If aluminum foil cannot be cleaned, please discard with trash.
Large animal carcasses, such as those belonging to deer, cannot go in the trash whole; these carcass must be cut up and bagged separately from the rest of the trash.
Large household appliances, (such as refrigerators, freezers, washing machines, dryers, dishwashers, dehumidifiers, etc) can be accepted at OCRRA's Rock Cut Road Transfer Station in Jamesville or the Ley Creek Transfer Station in Liverpool. (Recycling receipts needed for the New York State appliance rebate program are available through March 15, 2010.)
An entry fee, which is a flat fee based on your vehicle type, is assigned when dropping off material at either Transfer Station. Appliances containing refrigerants (CFCs)will be assessed an additional environmental surcharge.
Small household appliances, such as old can openers and electric knives can be placed in the trash.
Other options:(call for pricing)
CSG Will take most household appliances. 6766 Old Collamer Road, East Syracuse. 433-5032
Charette Brothers Will take most household appliances. 1426 Valley Drive, Syracuse. 469-1663
NO asbestos-containing material of any kind can be brought to any OCRRA facility as trash. Asbestos and asbestos pipe wrapping with the PIPES REMOVED may be taken to OCRRA's Household Hazardous Waste Day. It must be double-bagged.
OCRRA cautions homeowners against personally performing asbestos removal due to potentially adverse health impacts. Please consult the VERIZON yellow pages under Asbestos Abatement & Removal Services for a list of local asbestos removal service providers.
Environmental Products and Services also accepts friable (asbestos that can be made airborne) and non-friable (asbestos that is in solid particle form / not airborne) asbestos that is double bagged.
Environmental Products and Services (EPS) 532 State Fair Blvd., Syracuse 451-6666
Deliver toOCRRA's Rock Cut Road Transfer Station, or if in decent condition, donate to local giveaway program that happens each year. Call 446-7570 for more information.
Plastic or metal hangers can go in the trash, do not put them in the Blue Bin. If you would like to recycle/reuse the hangers you can try one of these options:
1) Call your local dry cleaner to see if they will accept your metal hangers.
2) Contact thrift stores (e.g. Salvation Army, Rescue Mission) or churches that do annual rummage sales as often they can use either plastic or metal hangers for displaying items.
3) Try an online material exchange where people trade items (for free). Check out this link for to find local reuse links.
4) Contact Roth Steel (Hiawatha Blvd., Syraucse, 475-8431) for metal hanger recycling.
Did you know that pouring large quantities of liquid fats, such as cooking grease or oil, down the drain is a major cause of sewer clogs? When pipes and sewer lines become blocked, raw sewage may back up onto streets, parking lots, and into nearby homes and businesses. This overflow can contaminate local water supplies, including drinking water, creating a public health hazard. If you are on a septic system, the grease and oil can build up there as well and make more frequent tank pump-outs a necessity.
There are several locations where residents can bring their used cooking oil and grease for free:
1) Baker Commodities - call 458-4901 for drop-off hours and directions.
Pour cooled grease or oil into a container, seal it, and bring it to the Wastewater Treatment Plant. It must be in liquid form. The Wastewater Treatment Plant is located just south of CarouselCenter. Stop at the main gate and press the intercom button to announce that you are dropping off grease at the waste hauler station. Afterwards, pass through the main gate and turn right. Stop at the Waste Hauler Control Facility in the New Screen and GritBuilding (on your left).
Personnel are available 7 days a week from 9 AM to 5 PM to collect the grease and oil. There is no charge for recycling the used cooking grease and oil, but residents may be asked to sign their name and address on a form.
Grease and Oil Disposal Tips:
1. Scrape or wipe dishes that contain oily food wastes, such as gravies and salad dressings into a garbage can instead of into the kitchen sink.
2. Put fat trimmings from meat in the garbage, do not put them down the disposal, as disposal residue is emptied into the sewer or septic system.
3. Pour oil and grease that is left over from pots and pans into a closed container to be recycled or as the oil and grease solidifies after cooling, wipe or scrape the contents into a garbage can.
4. Rinse dishes and pans with cold water before putting them in the dishwasher. Hot water melts the fats, oils, and grease off the dishes and deposits them into the sewer pipes. Later on in the sewer, the hot water will cool and the grease will clog the pipes.
* Note: The Wastewater Treatment Plant grease recycling service is not available to commercial food preparation businesses. For commercial grease recycling solutions check the Verizon Yellow Pages under “Rendering Companies.”
Curtain rods can be put in your TRASH. They will be picked up by your hauler and delivered to the Waste-to-Energy Facility. If they are metal, they will be recovered for recycling!
Please place Styrofoam AND paper cartons in your trash; do NOT place in your Blue Bin. (The paper cartons have been recycled so many times that their fibers are not large enough to be recycled again.)
Both clay and plastic pots are considered trash. They cannot go in the Blue Bin, but reusing them is always a good option. Check out some of our reuse links if you are interested in posting items online in an effort to find them a new home.
In good condition: Rescue Mission (no appliances), 453-7242 Salvation Army (no large appliances), 445-0520, ext. 320 Refugee Resettlement Program, 474-1261
OCRRA accepts EMPTY metal gas tanks (vehicle / machinery tanks) at both the Rock Cut Road and the Ley Creek Transfer Stations. Tanks must be cut in half so there is no question that they are empty.
Roth Steel will accept automobile gas tanks if they are dry and punctured with three golf-ball sized holes or cut open.
Place all clear and colored glass food and beverage bottles and jars in your Blue Bin. Rinse and discard caps. These items may also be taken to OCRRA’s Rock Cut Road Transfer Station.
All other types of glass (drinking glasses, window glass, auto glass) should be placed with your trash for disposal.
Leave grass clippings on the lawn! Grass clippings are 80 to 85 percent water. If you mow your lawn once a week, the clippings will filter down and decompose within 7-10 days. Also reduces the amount of fertilizer you need by 25 -30% by returning nutrients to soil. Use as mulch, place up to one inch thick around the base of shrubs. The mulch will prevent water loss and eventually decompose. Compost them. Mix with leaves, wood chips or garden materials
Homeowners can register online forOCRRA's Household Hazardous Waste Days; OCRRA only accepts hazardous waste at its facilities during these special events.
Please call first as each location below has different tank preparation requirements and restrictions about what types of tanks they accept.Disposal charges may apply:
Industrial process waste (i.e. baghouse waste, incinerator ash, sewage sludge, slag, ink sludge, foundry sand, grinding swarf, and refractory brick) are NOT acceptable at the Waste to Energy facility, nor are OCRRA’s transfer stations permitted to take such materials. Other light-industrial wastes will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Call 453-2866 for info
Place in a paper bag and put in Blue Bin. Or, if you have two Blue Bins, put papers loose into your PAPER bin. Then stack your CONTAINER bin on top, so the papers do not fly around and become litter.
Call 888-567-8688 to stop the three major credit unions (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion) from selling your name and address to banks and credit card companies.
Visit www.obviously.com/junkmail for detailed instructions on how to get off specific mailing lists (such as AOL, Publisher’s Clearinghouse Sweepstakes, and more.
Latex paint is a non-hazardous material. It is no longer accepted at OCRRA's Household Hazardous Waste Days. Click here to find out why.
To properly dispose of liquid latex paint, dry it out and throw it in the trash.
PLEASE NOTE: For the beauty of the community, do not put paint cans in the trash that contain liquid paint. This creates a mess on the streets during the collection process.
Easy Disposal Instructions: 1) Remove the lid. 2) Expose the liquid paint to air. Be sure to keep away from animals and children. 3) If there is a lot of paint, add cat litter or paint drying crystals (available at most hardware stores) to the paint. Leave the lid off and wait for the paint to be absorbed. 4) When the paint is dry, put can and lid in the trash (leave lid off the can).
If disposing of a lawn mower be sure to remove the gas tank, puncture a hole about the size of a golf ball in the tank and remove any liquids from the machine. This will prevent combustion or accidents during transportation and disposal.
Place in the trash. It is a good idea to disguise the medication, perhaps mix it into your garbage, so that it cannot be taken out of the trash by a third party, or pet, and ingested.
Do not dispose of medications down the drain or flush them down the toilet as they may pass through the waste water treatment plant and upset the plant’s biologic operation. Most sewage treatment plants do not have the capacity to filter out or treat certain items (hormone meds, chemotherapy drugs, antibiotics, etc.) Ultimately, this can create harmful results in wildlife populations; fish infertility, etc.
OCRRA accepts mothballs during Household Hazardous Waste Collection days at no charge from households. Call 453-2866 or sign up online to make a reservation.
OCRRA accepts mouse and rat poison during Household Hazardous Waste Collection days at no charge from households. Call 453-2866 or sign up online to make a reservation.
To prevent paper from becoming litter, please put recyclable paper into a paper bag (if available) OR get a second Blue Bin. Put paper in one bin and bottles / cans in the other. On collection day, place the paper bin at the curb, stack the container bin on top. This will prevent the papers from flying away and also eliminate the need to find paper bags each week.
Large quantities of newspapers can be dropped off at no charge at OCRRA's Rock Cut Road Transfer Station. Please take to the recycling area behind the building.
OCRRA accepts OIL-BASED paints at their Household Hazardous Waste Collections, at no charge, from households. Call 453-2866 or sign up online to make a reservation.
PLEASE NOTE: For the beauty of the community, do not put paint cans in the trash that contain liquid paint. This creates a mess on the streets during the collection process.
To properly dispose of LIQUID LATEX paint, dry it out and throw it in the trash.
Easy LATEX PAINT Disposal Instructions: 1) Remove the lid. 2) Expose the liquid paint to air. Be sure to keep away from animals and children. 3) If there is a lot of paint, add cat litter or paint drying crystals (available at most hardware stores) to the paint. Leave the lid off and wait for the paint to be absorbed. 4) When the paint is dry, put can and lid in the trash (leave lid off the can).
OCRRA accepts oven cleaners during Household Hazardous Waste Collection days at no charge from households. Call 453-2866 or sign up online to make a reservation.
All empty paint cans (both oil and latex) should be discarded with your regular trash; do not place in Blue Bin.
NOTE: For the beauty of the community, please do not put paint cans in the trash that contain liquid paint. This creates a mess on the streets during the collection process. Learn how to properly dispose of paint by searching for 'PAINT' in this database.
Households should put the recyclable papers listed below, in the Blue Bin.
To prevent paper from becoming litter, please put recyclable paper into a paper bag (if available) OR get a second Blue Bin. Put paper in one bin and bottles / cans in the other. On collection day, place the paper bin at the curb, stack the container bin on top. This will prevent the papers from flying away and also eliminate the need to find paper bags each week.
Large quantities of paper can be dropped off at no charge at OCRRA's Rock Cut Road Transfer Station. Recyclable paper includes the following: newspapers and advertising inserts, discarded mail and envelopes, magazines, catalogs, cereal, pasta and other food boxes, empty soda, and beer cases, gift, toy and tissues boxes, office and school papers (any color), grocery and lunch bags (any color) pizza boxes, corrugated cardboard boxes, telephone books, receipts (non-carbon receipts only), non-metallic greeting cards, wrapping paper, paper towel/toilet paper rolls, mailing tubes, etc.
Shredded paper must go in a paper bag (stapled shut to prevent paper from becoming litter).
Not recyclable in the Blue Bin: corrugated cardboard with wax, plastic, paper, or styrofoam egg cartons, carbon paper, paper plates, paper towels, hardcover and paperback books, non-paper envelopes, metallic paper, silver and gold-trimmed cards. These items, with the exception of books, should be discarded with your regular trash.
Other paper recycling options: Businesses and other generators of large quantities of paper should discuss recycling options with their waste hauler. Recycling is mandated by law in Onondaga County.
Please consult the VERIZON yellow pages under 'Waste Paper'
If you are interested in shredding your paper, click here.
1) All cell phone dealers, large and small, are required by law to accept cell phones, regardless of brand or where they were purchased. For instance, Verizon Wireless’ HopeLine Phone Recycling project collects old cell phones, regardless of carrier, make, model, or technology. The donated phones are refurbished and recycled or sold. The proceeds from the sale of any donated phone are used to fund non-profit agencies and to purchase wireless phones for victims of domestic violence.Older unsalvageable phones are disposed of through an EPA-certified salvage company.
3) Donate your old cell phone, in good working condition,and battery charger to Onondaga County's Cell Phone Program. The County's Cell Phone Program is designed to provide seniors with peace of mind should they find themselves in an emergency situation needing the assistance of 911. You can deliver your used cell phone to the Onondaga County Sheriff's Department sub-stations, the Syracuse Police Neighborhood Store Fronts and the following locations:
Onondaga County Sub-stations 4694 Central Avenue, Syracuse 7305 Thompson Road, Cicero 201 School Road, Liverpool
Syracuse Police Store Fronts East - 2450 James Street University - 471 Westcott Street North - 255 Wolf Street Valley - 4141 South Salina Street West - 220 South Geddes Street
Liverpool Police Station 500 Sycamore Street, Liverpool
Town of Manlius Police Station 1 Arkie Albanese Drive, Manlius
Baldwinsville Police Station 16 West Genesee St., Baldwinsville
4) If your cell phone is NOT working: Keith Colston, a Veterans Service Officer with the Onondaga County Veterans Service Agency, collects old, non-working cell phones as part of a program to support disabled veterans and our soldiers in Iraq.
The phones’ components are recycled and sold; the funds from the sale of these materials support the purchase of phonecards so our country’s military personnel in Iraq can call home. Cell phones can be dropped off to Colston in the Veteran’s Service Agency office, located on the 13th Floor of the Civic Center. His phone number is 435-3223.
5) The Salvation Army also collects used working cell phones.
LANDLINE PHONES (cordless or corded): May be placed in the trash OR contact Bruin Computer Trading & Recycling, in Liverpool, at 410-0050. If your phone is cordless, be sure to remove the batteries and recycle them before disposing of the phone.
Please remove any food and place next to your Blue Bin. These items can also be taken to OCRRA’s Rock Cut Road Transfer Station. Please take to the recycling area behind the building.
Please do NOT place in your Blue Bin. Return clean bags to local grocery and retail stores for recycling.
To cut down on plastic bag use, decline a bag when purchasing only a few items or bring your own! Most local grocery and some retail stores carry resuable bags for a small fee. This will reduce roadside litter and the amount of non-renewable resources we waste when we demand both paper and plastic bags at local stores.
The only plastic items that go in the Blue Bin are plastic BOTTLES. Other plastic containers, including margarine tubs and yogurt cups, etc. go in the trash.
Plastic containers - anything that is plastic and NOT a BOTTLE; for instance items marked with a 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7 symbol on the bottom, plastic flower pots, food containers (yogurt cups, margarine tubs, etc.), baby wipe tubs, ice cube trays, lids and caps to bottles, microwave dishes, buckets, six pack holders / rings, toys, etc. please place in the trash.
That is to say, anything that has a smaller bottom than top or is “stackable” like margarine tubs, yogurt containers, and plastic take out containers are not recyclable in OnondagaCounty at this time. Only plastic BOTTLES go in the Blue Bin.
Plastic items that have the #5 plastic code on the bottom can be recycled through Preserve's Gimme 5 program. Visit their website to learn more about how you can mail them your #5s for recycling.
OCRRA accepts pool chemicals during Household Hazardous Waste Collection days at no charge from households. Call 453-2866 or sign up online to make a reservation.
Call first as each location has different tank preparation requirements and restrictions about what types of tanks they accept. Disposal charges may apply:
BJ's Wholesale, Clay location only: 4145 Route 31, Clay, 622-2600 Bodow Recycling, 1925 Park Street, Syracuse, 422-2552 Energy Gasses, 5851 Butternut Drive, East Syracuse, 446-8400 Farmers Co-op (only accepts 20 lb. tanks), 82 East Genesee Street, B'ville, 635-5221 Ben Weitsman & Son, 333 Bridge Street, Syracuse, 488-3171 Oneida Lake Energy Products, Molloy Rd., Central Square, 668-8910 Roth Steel, Hiawatha Blvd., Syracuse, 475-8431
Satellite dishes are trashable. They do NOT go in your Blue Bin.
If your trash hauler will not pick them up, you may also bring them to OCRRA's Transfer Stations.
If your dish is metal, some scrap metal recyclers may also take them, depending on their size. Please call local scrap metal recyclers (check the Yellow Pages) prior to delivery.
OCRRA accepts SMALL metal items (things smaller than 6 ft. long and weighing less than 40 pounds; for example: pots, pans, toasters, etc.) at its Rock Cut Road Transfer Station for free. Larger metal items are subject to charge. These larger items, such as radiators, aluminum siding and hot water heaters, may also be taken to a scrap metal dealer.
Contact local metal recyclers to see if they will take your item(s) prior to delivery. Consult the VERIZON yellow pages under 'Scrap Metals' for contact info beyond what is listed below:
OCRRA accepts stains, varnishes, and stain/varnish removers during Household Hazardous Waste Collection days at no charge from households. Call 453-2866 or sign up online to make a reservation.
Non-working items: OCRRA's Community Collection Center. Items in working / good condition: Check out local reuse swap sites online. Several 'reuse links' are listed here.
Or contact: Salvation Army, 445-0520, ext. 320 Rescue Mission, 453-7242
Packaging / mailing stores, like the following, accept CLEAN Styrofoam peanuts:
The UPS Store, all locations.
Some UPS Stores will also accept Styrofoam planks. Please call to confirm before dropping-off.
NOTE: None of the locations above accept egg cartons, coolers, or other types of Styrofoam not referenced above. If you have a question about what is acceptable, please contact your local store.
Please do not drop trashable Styrofoam off at these stores or they may have to discontinue their collections.
If you can't find a location to accept your old Styrofoam, place it in the trash; do NOT place in your Blue Bin.*
*Although some companies may have the capacity to recycle Styrofoam, they typically only process clean Styrofoam from their own stores and facilities. They are able to recycle this clean Styrofoam using specialized technology and high-end machinery that is not widely available to the public.
Packaging / mailing stores, like the following, accept CLEAN Styrofoam peanuts: The UPS Store, all locations. Shiprite Package - 452-5665
Some UPS Stores will also accept Styrofoam planks. Please call to confirm before dropping-off.
NOTE: None of the locations above accept egg cartons, coolers, or other types of Styrofoam not referenced above. If you have a question about what is acceptable, please contact your local store.
Please do not drop trashable Styrofoam off at these stores or they may have to discontinue their collections.
If you can't find a location to accept your old Styrofoam, place it in the trash; do NOT place in your Blue Bin.*
*Although some companies may have the capacity to recycle Styrofoam, they typically only process clean Styrofoam from their own stores and facilities. They are able to recycle this clean Styrofoam using specialized technology and high-end machinery that is not widely available to the public.
NEVER place containers of sharps (used needles, syringes, and lancets) in the Blue Bin.
Several health centers and hospitals will accept sharps from residents/households. This encourages the safe disposal of sharps for people with medical conditions that require at-home, self-injections. Please call these locations to confirm hours and exact location for drop-off.
Sharps can also be placed in clean, biohazard-labeled sharps containers or in clean, heavy plastic bleach or laundry detergent bottle with a screw-on cap. Containers must be leak-proof, labeled as “Sharps” and the tops should be taped shut. Then they can go in the trash.
OCRRA accepts mercury thermometers and thermostats during Household Hazardous Waste Collection days at no charge from households. Appointments are required to attend the event, sign up online.
You can also drop-off old mercury thermostats and thermometers at OCRRA's Rock Cut Road Transfer Station. If you bring in a mercury thermometer (the kind you take your temperature with when you are sick), we’ll even give you a new mercury-free thermometer (thanks to Covanta Energy and the Onondaga County Department of Water Environment Protection).
Other Options: Environmental Products and Services, 451-6666.
