Don’t trash it, recycle it: Monroe County ecopark accepts a variety of holiday items

Taylor Liberti News10NBC

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Along with all the sweet desserts, presents, and decorations, comes a lot of trash.

A lot of the material you might toss in the trash can actually be recycled. Monroe County has a Waste Management ecopark at 10 Avion Drive where you can drop off certain items at the curb.

What holiday items can I bring to the ecopark?

  • All clean paper, including plain wrapping paper and tissue (no metal, foil or glitter), gift bags and gift boxes
  • Flattened Cardboard (including shipping containers, gift and clean pizza boxes)
  • Plastic bottles, jugs, jars and tubs (reattach lids)
  • Metal and glass cans, bottles or jug

The ecopark is closed on Christmas and New Years Day. Normally, the ecopark is open Wednesdays from 1 p.m. to 6:30 p.n. and Saturdays from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Aside from holiday trash, the ecopark can takes tons of other items. To lookup if an item is accepted at the ecopark, click this link.

The following items are only accepted at the ecopark:

  • Holiday lights and decorations that contain electronics
  • Rechargeable, button and lithium ion batteries (always place alkaline in trash)
  • Clean, white, block packing foam — marked as #6 only
  • Christmas trees: artificial (with or without electronics, accepted in electronics) and real
  • Plastic bags / film / envelopes
  • Cardboard and residential recycling
  • Cooking oil – No grease
  • Clothing and textiles

What items can’t be recycled?

  • Bows, ribbons, and gift tags
  • Foil and metallic wrapping paper
  • Foam materials (packaging, coffee cups, meat trays, egg cartons or packing peanuts)
  • Food contaminated items
  • Single use items – such as cups, straws, silverware and condiment packaging

Monroe County Executive Adam Bello says Monroe County residents produce more than six pounds of trash per person, per day.

You can even recycle your tree! Towns and villages around Monroe County will have drop-off sites for you to take your tree after the holidays. To find out where to bring your tree, click this link.