Cartons and black plastic are no longer accepted by Tompkins County in curbside recycling, according to Tompkins County Recycling and Materials Management. Only plastics labeled with #1, 2 or 5 recycling symbols can be recycled curbside.
Cartons can include any type of food, drink or soup carton box, while black plastic can include items like black microwavable food trays and take-out containers.
On its website, TCRMM recommends that community members visit its “What do I do with…” page to find suitable recycling alternatives for non-curbside items. Alternative options can include stopping by the Tompkins County Recycling and Solid Waste Center, throwing items in the trash or visiting a nearby drop spot in the county, depending on the item.
The community can learn more about curbside recycling and the newly prohibited items in TCRMM’s July 2025-June 2026 curbside recycling guidelines. The guidelines include information on single stream recycling, the curbside pickup schedule, prohibited items and step-by-step instructions on how to prepare items for curbside recycling.
Why Can’t Cartons and Black Plastic Be Recycled Curbside?
The shift in curbside recycling procedure follows TCRMM’s concern about the market viability and recycling process for cartons and black plastic.
“Recently, it was identified that food and beverage cartons do not currently have a feasible end-market, and black plastic is problematic in the process due to composition and sorting technology,” according to a TCRMM press release.
Varsha Bhargava is a news editor from The Cornell Daily Sun working as a reporter for The Ithaca Times through The Sun’s summer fellowship program. This article was originally published in the Ithaca Times.
Varsha Bhargava is a news editor for the 143rd Editorial Board and a member of the Class of 2027 in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. She can be reached at vbhargava@cornellsun.com.
