Celebrating Earth Day: Inside the facility powering Westchester’s recycling efforts
Officials say the Daniel P. Thomas Material Recovery Facility is the only municipal recycling center in the county.
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News 12 is taking a look inside the facility where the majority of Westchester County's recycling is sent in honor of Earth Day.
Matthew Middlemass says he works hard to keep the Daniel P. Thomas Material Recovery Facility running.
"We're pulling out any trash contamination, Styrofoam, anything that's not a paper product," Middlemass says.
His colleague, Lou Vetrone, from the county's Department of Environmental Facilities, says the 40,000 square-foot location in Yonkers is essential to maintain. He says it's the only municipal recycling center in the county.
"This facility is vital to Westchester," Vetrone says. "Almost all of the county's residential recycling is processed here. It's about 91% of the county's recycling."
Vetrone says 64,000 tons of recyclables were processed at the facility in 2024.
Officials say they made almost $6 million in sales from recyclables last year.
As Westchester's population grows, Vetrone says the county is still working to meet its waste reduction goals.
"New York state has set a very ambitious goal of 85% diversion of the waste stream by the year 2050. Westchester County has one of the highest recycling rates in the region. I think last year we were at a 54% recycling rate, and we are well poised to meet that goal of 85% by 2050," Vetrone says.
Over the last two decades, Vetrone says they've reduced waste by 27%. He says it's a result of county programs and residents' efforts at home.
However, Middlemass says there's still room for improvement.
"The biggest recycling tip is to recycle what can be recycled. Don't use it as another trash bin," Middlemass says.
Workers also advise against putting garbage bags in curbside recycling bins.
