A draft Local Solid Waste Management Plan outlining how Yates County could reduce landfill waste over the next decade was presented to the Yates County Legislature last week.
The plan was developed by the Genesee Finger Lakes Regional Planning Council on behalf of the county and follows guidance from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Officials say the plan evaluates current waste practices, explores alternatives for handling waste in the future, and lays out an implementation strategy for the next 10 years.
Emily Rice, deputy director of the regional planning council, told legislators the overall goal is to reduce the amount of solid waste going to landfills by focusing on prevention, reuse, recycling, composting, and other forms of material recovery.
Current Waste Picture
Data collected from local haulers, transfer stations, schools, wastewater treatment plants, and other sources shows Yates County generates about 22,950 tons of waste annually. Of that, roughly 5.35 percent is currently diverted through recycling, composting, or other reuse efforts, though planners said the true diversion rate is likely higher due to gaps in available data.
Municipal solid waste accounts for the majority of the county’s waste stream at 74 percent, followed by biosolids at 11 percent, industrial waste at 6 percent, and construction and demolition debris at 5 percent.
Among the waste that is diverted, about 40 percent is organic material such as yard and food waste, 31 percent biosolids, and 29 percent traditional recycling.
Potential Strategies
As part of the planning process, officials evaluated a range of waste management technologies and programs to determine what might work locally.
Some advanced waste-to-energy technologies, including pyrolysis, plasma arc gasification, and ethanol production from waste, were ruled out because they are not widely available or commercially viable.
Instead, the plan highlights several options that could help reduce landfill use, including:
- Mixed municipal solid waste composting, where facilities separate and compost organic material from mixed trash.
- Anaerobic digestion, which breaks down organic waste without oxygen to produce biogas and fertilizer-like material.
- Expanded construction and demolition recycling for materials like wood, asphalt, and concrete.
- Better management of industrial waste streams, particularly in sectors like agriculture, craft beverage production, and manufacturing.
- Expanded recycling, waste reduction, and organics programs, including education campaigns, drop-off programs, and potential partnerships with private organizations.
Implementation Plan
The draft plan includes a 10-year implementation schedule that outlines steps for the county to improve waste diversion and strengthen recycling efforts.
One of the first proposed actions is creating a working group to oversee the plan, improve waste data collection, and identify opportunities for public-private partnerships.
Five key focus areas were identified: overall material diversion planning, organics management, construction and demolition waste, hard-to-dispose materials, and recycling and waste reduction initiatives.
Public Comment Period
The public comment period on the draft plan is open until March 19. After reviewing feedback, planners will prepare a response summary and submit the finalized plan to the state for review.
County officials say the plan is intended to serve as a flexible roadmap that can evolve as new opportunities and technologies emerge.
