Monroe County Director of Environmental Services on why it appears recyclables and trash go to the same place

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) — One of Monroe County’s top centers for taking care of the environment, the Ecopark, officially turned 10 years old Thursday.

It was set up back in 2011 as a way to make sure your recyclable trash doesn’t just end up in a landfill.

Since then it’s taken care of enough scrap metal to build two full-sized 747 jets.

Monroe County’s Director of Environmental Services Mike Garland said that’s a good start but they still hear stories of people giving up on the practice because they see garbage men mixing trash.

Garland said that’s not always what you’re seeing.

"Some haulers have — they have two sides of their truck — one side’s for trash the other side’s for garbage,” Garland said. “So It can appear the recycling is going to — into the garbage truck. Haulers will use trucks that look like garbage trucks to collect recyclables."

Garland did say his department encourages people to send in complaints if they see garbage being mixed together.

At the same time, Rep. Joe Morelle (D, NY-25) is pushing for more federal action to reduce carbon emissions.

Thursday he outlined some of the investments he wants to see as part of the Build Back Better plan, including $150 billion for the Clean Electricity Performance Program to help transition providers to renewable energy.

"The Climate crisis is the defining issue of our time," Morelle said. "How we respond to it will determine the fate of generations to come."

Morelle also wants to see $120 billion put towards the switch to electric public transportation.