Food Scrap Program
(Updated January 2025)
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FIND ABOUT THE RECYCLING AND DISPOSAL PROTOCOLS FOR COLUMBIA COUNTY
Food scraps are accepted at all Columbia County stations during regular operating hours. The purchase of a Recycling & Food Scrap sticker is required, click here for more information on the sticker program and for the fees.
Food scraps are to be free from garbage, including compostable bags, and can be put in the labeled 35 gallon containers located at all stations. Acceptable scraps include:
Meat, fish, dairy (bones, shells OK) NO Ham Bones, Beef Marrow Bones, Large Bones
Fruits and vegetables
Pasta and rice
Eggs, nuts, nutshells
Bread and grains
Leftovers
Snacks; chips, cookies, etc.
Coffee grounds (no K Cups)
Tea Bags
Please NO plastic bags, compostable bags, napkins, paper towels, paper plates, paper cups, pet waste, diapers, K Cups, soil, rocks, branches, yard waste, plastic-coated containers, glass, metal, grease, and Styrofoam.
A tip to reduce and/or avoid odors: Freeze your food between trips. You can use an empty bread bag, or use other temporary storage to freeze your food scraps and then dump the contents into the container at the station. Plastic bags can be disposed of with the regular household garbage.
RECYCLING & FOOD SCRAP STICKER
ALL residents that utilize any of the Columbia County Solid Waste stations will need to purchase an annual recycling and food scrap sticker to recycle and/or to discard of food scraps.
This sticker is ONLY for residents that utilize the stations and does not impact anyone who has curbside pickup.
This is an annual recycling and food scrap sticker that will be in effect for the entire calendar year regardless of when it is purchased. Each year that the County continues this program, residents will have to purchase a sticker.
Columbia County residents (proof of residency required) can purchase their sticker at any Columbia County Solid Waste Station for $75.00.
Out of County residents can purchase their sticker at any Columbia County Solid Waste Station for $125.00.
** Discounted Senior (65+ - proof of age required) Columbia County Residents can purchase their sticker ONLY at a participating Town Clerk Office for $50.00.
You will receive one sticker to be placed on your vehicle. The sticker MUST be visible for the station attendants to see. Also included, will be a recycling protocol of materials that will be accepted at the stations from your household.
For a list of Municipal Clerks that sell the Recycling and Food Scrap Sticker click here.
The original sticker must be affixed to your vehicle. Photocopies of the Recycling Sticker will be confiscated.
Food satisfies one of our most primitive needs and is the core of economic, social, health and environmental systems. Did you know that food sent to a landfill not only wastes nutrition and the resources used to grow, store, process and distribute it, but it also produces methane, which dramatically accelerates global warming.
According to the EPA, landfills contribute more than 14 percent of all U.S. methane emissions, and estimates that food waste is the most common material feeding our landfills. Even if our industry is responsibly capturing methane at landfills, reducing food in the waste stream presents a key opportunity to lower our carbon footprint.
Columbia County has implemented a pilot food waste scrap program to assist our residents and community in reducing the waste taken to the landfill.
The EcoRich in-vessel composter recycles the food waste on site, without odors or pest problems, while reducing the dependency on landfills. The video below shows how the EcoRich composter works.
Thank you for your interest and commitment in making a difference in our community!
Know your No's: Please do not dispose of plastic bags or compostable bags with your food scraps.
Plastic bags and compostable bags do not go through the grinder easily
and do not break down at the same rate as the food scraps.
Please do not hesitate to contact the Administrative Office, 518-828-2737.
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