Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino (center) joins with Councilwoman Michele Johnson (front left), Councilman Louis Imbroto (front right) and Councilman Tom Hand (second from left), together with Town officials and Winters Bros. representatives, at the Town’s Solid Waste Complex the morning of October 23, to welcome the first fleet of trucks carrying recyclables under the Town’s new single stream recycling program.
Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino and Councilwoman Michele Johnson welcomed the first fleet of trucks to collect single stream recycling in the Town of Oyster Bay earlier today. The new program will generate up to $2 million for taxpayers, and now also includes new recyclable material, including cardboard. The program, which transitions the Town’s recycling collection from dual-stream to single stream, is estimated to generate significant funding over the next five years.
“My administration has already committed to freezing property taxes and has consistently explored every avenue to save taxpayers money,” Supervisor Saladino said. “Since the beginning of local recycling efforts more than a decade ago, initiatives have cost taxpayers money rather than generate funds for the Town budget. I am proud to say that will no longer be the case!”
In 2016, the Town of Oyster Bay utilized dual-stream recycling which cost taxpayers approximately $330,553 to haul away commingled glass, metal, and plastic while generating $239,088 in revenue from newspaper and mixed paper. Overall, the Town realized a net LOSS of $91,465 in 2016. Under Supervisor Saladino’s single-stream recycling initiative, the Town will generate approximately $343,295 in revenue in 2018 by entering into a contract with Winters Bros. Hauling of Long Island. This results in a net gain of $434,760 annually for taxpayers. Additionally, the Town will sell 22 recycling trucks no longer needed due to this single-stream recycling initiative, and generate up to $1 million in revenue for taxpayers from the sale of these vehicles.
“This new single stream recycling program is another example of the great ways our administration has been looking to save taxpayers’ money while enhancing services,” Councilwoman Johnson added. “In addition to the great financial benefit, this program has a significant environmental benefit as well. Not only will single stream recycling result in significant savings, this new initiative will also result in a decrease in solid waste for the Town, which could generate even greater savings.”
On July 14, 2017, the Town of Oyster Bay solicited bid proposals for single-stream recycling. Three entities responded to the bid request and proposals were opened publicly for review. Winters Bros. Hauling of Long Island presented the Town with the most beneficial deal for taxpayers, and they were awarded the contract at the Town Board’s August 22 meeting.
“We were very pleased to see this morning that this program is already proving to be a resounding success,” Supervisor Saladino added. “Under this initiative, it is no longer be necessary to separate any recyclables. Residents can dispose of glass, plastics, paper and all types of cardboard in one container, to be picked up on their regular recycling collection day. This process eases the burden of sorting garbage and allows the Town to be more environmentally friendly while saving money.”
About Single-Stream Recycling:
Single-stream recycling is a system in which all recyclables, including newspaper, cardboard, plastic, aluminium, and junk mail are placed together in a bin for recycling by residents. These recyclables are collected in bulk by a single truck and taken to a Materials Recovery Facility to be sorted into various commodity streams for sale to markets, where it is processed into feedstock which can be used in the manufacture of new products.