Zero Waste

Community Members Selected to Help Develop Ulster County’s Preliminary Zero Waste Implementation Plan

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By Rebecca Martin

The Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency (UCRRA) Zero Waste Committee has selected four community representatives to help develop a Preliminary Zero Waste Implementation Plan: Shabazz Jackson, Manna Jo Greene, Claudia Joseph, and me, representing KingstonCitizens.org.

Chaired by Chris Hurlbert, the UCRRA Zero Waste Committee recently opened non-voting seats for community members interested in contributing to the planning process. The goal is to ensure that community voices are directly represented as recommendations are developed to move Ulster County toward a more credible, practical, and sustainable zero waste future. Interested residents were invited to apply, creating an opportunity for public participation in shaping the county’s waste reduction strategy.

As work on the Preliminary Zero Waste Implementation Plan gets underway, KingstonCitizens.org will document the process and provide updates, in coordination with our partners, to help community members follow the committee’s progress, understand the recommendations under consideration, and engage in opportunities for public participation.

Collaborations Lead to Friendships

One of the most rewarding outcomes of this work is the new partnerships and friendships that are formed along the way. Last year, I had the privilege of meeting Shabazz Jackson and Josephine Papagni through our shared involvement in zero-waste initiatives in Ulster County. What began as a professional collaboration quickly developed into a friendship grounded in a shared commitment to environmental stewardship and community service.

I am especially pleased that Shabazz and I will now serve together on the UCRRA Zero Waste Committee as community representatives. His experience and perspective will be valuable assets as the committee develops recommendations for the county’s zero-waste future.

Today, Shabazz and Josephine installed a backyard composting system at our home in the City of Kingston. The system includes tools that allow us to track the amount of organic material being diverted from disposal, helping us better understand our contribution to waste reduction and resource recovery.

As Ulster County continues to explore zero waste strategies, composting remains one of the simplest and most effective actions residents can take to reduce the amount of material sent to landfills. Community members interested in learning more about backyard composting can contact Shabazz and Josephine at (845) 656-6071 or visit Greenway Environmental Services.

Another Step Toward Public Engagement in Ulster County Zero Waste Planning

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In an effort to expand public participation in Ulster County’s Zero Waste planning process, we recently called on members of the Ulster County Legislature’s Energy, Environment and Sustainability Committee to ensure that meaningful opportunities for public comment are built into MSW consultants’ work on the County’s Zero Waste Policy Guidance document before it is finalized.

If this Policy Guidance document has the potential to shape the path toward a Zero Waste Implementation Plan (ZWIP), then the public must have a seat at the table. With a $10,000 investment already committed, this is a key opportunity to leverage the current work into the next phase of developing a ZWIP in a way that is collaborative, participatory, and properly funded. We urged the need for a public presentation or workshop to share preliminary recommendations, timely online access to materials, a publicly noticed comment period on draft documents, and clear consideration of public input in the final guidance document.

Legislator Chris Hewitt responded, and it’s encouraging.

He wrote that the Legislature will be reaching out to the consultant to create a version of the document that is accessible to the public for edits, feedback, and suggestions. There will also be additional opportunities for input, including during and after the public presentation. We will continue to keep KingstonCitizens.org readers informed so that anyone interested can participate and contribute. If you haven’t already, please sign up for our newsletter for continued updates.

KingstonCitizens.org “Ulster Toward Zero Waste” webinar brings together expertise and advocates from Ulster, Dutchess and Sullivan County

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Judith Enck provides opening remarks
“We need systemic change”

Rebecca Martin, KingstonCitizens.org
“There is no “away” in throwaway”

Greenway Environmental Services (Shabazz Jackson and Josephine Papagni)
“We must study the New Paltz model and other Ulster County transfer stations to guide the Zero Waste Implementation Plan. By upgrading the remaining 18 transfer stations to each process 5,000 tons of organics per year, Ulster County could divert up to 95,000 tons of food and yard waste annually from the waste stream—at a fraction of the cost of a $100M+ “put or pay” anaerobic digester project currently being considered by Ulster County and UCRRA.”

Neil Seldman, Zero Waste USA
“When you separate materials, you create jobs, support small businesses and expand the tax base.”

Sustainable Sullivan (Eric Feinblatt and Rebekah Creshkoff)
“With a “put or pay” incinerator (Covanta) project in Sullivan County, we would be obliged to provide up to 1 million tons of garbage per year. Sullivan County produces 100,000 tons per year. We have flow control, but no one enforcing flow control, and at the moment, 20% of that is going to Pennsylvania. So what remains is 80,000 tons per year.  So what we would have to do is bring in trash from Ulster County and other counties. Ulster County, in its proposed “put or pay” plan, does not have enough waste to supply the anaerobic digester, so it has suggested bringing in trash from Sullivan County.  The whole thing is a cluster ^%*(. It’s like Abbott and Costello. The left doesn’t know what the right hand is doing.”

Mothers Out Front Dutchess County (Sandra Stratton-Gonzalez)
“It is really disheartening to hear all the plans afoot in Sullivan and Ulster Counties regarding Incineration (Sullivan) and Anerobic Digestion (Ulster)…these facilities continue to keep us on the path of disposal rather than the path of recovery. They lock us into decades of disposal culture because of the “put or pay” agreements. We are currently in a position where we’re fighting to change practices in Dutchess County and understand how we are impacting our neighboring counties practices…”

Now is the time to get involved and take action
Call your Ulster County Legislator in support a properly funded Zero Waste Implementation Plan (ZWIP) that creates a model for Zero Waste that can be replicated across all remaining 18 transfer stations in Ulster County.

 

KingstonCitizens.org Announces Spring Webinars on State Environmental Review, Zero Waste Solutions, and Civic Engagement—With Opportunities for Public Action

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KingstonCitizens.org invites community members and advocates in Ulster County to participate in a series of spring webinars focused on proposed changes to state environmental review, local zero waste solutions, and civic engagement—including Charter Reform—equipping the public with knowledge and opportunities to take action.

These events are free.  Please register below to learn how you can engage locally on these issues. 

 

Thursday, March 26 at 6:00pm

The Future of Environmental Review in New York State — What It Means for Local Communities
With special guest Drew Gamils, Senior Attorney, Hudson Riverkeeper

Register: https://hostyurl.com/HH1Ezx

New York State is at a critical moment. Proposed changes in the State budget could significantly alter how environmental review is conducted—raising serious concerns about impacts on public health, community voice, and environmental protection.

For decades, the State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) process has served as a vital tool for municipalities. SEQR plays an essential role in helping local decision-makers fully evaluate development projects. It ensures a comprehensive, holistic review of local issues—examining traffic, cumulative impacts, environmental risks, and more. Importantly, SEQR is the only process that requires developers to identify and mitigate these impacts before projects move forward.

Now, swift and potentially harmful amendments being considered as part of the state budget—expected to be adopted by the end of March—could weaken these protections. These changes may limit thorough review, reduce accountability, and ultimately jeopardize the health and well-being of communities across New York. The public deserves to understand what’s at stake—and what can be done.

Participants will learn:

  • What SEQR is and why it matters
  • How proposed budget changes could impact environmental review
  • What these changes mean for local communities
  • The status of pending SEQR regulations
  • How to take action

 

Sunday, April 12 at 7:00pm

Ulster Toward Zero Waste
With special guests Greenway Environmental Services and others TBA

Register: https://hostyurl.com/unUSlP

There is no “away” in throw-away.

What if much of what we call “waste” could instead become a resource? By reducing waste at the source, expanding reuse, separating organics, and recycling properly, communities are showing we can dramatically cut what gets discarded. Communities like New Paltz are already demonstrating practical, local solutions. The New Paltz model shows how community-based systems can reduce waste while turning organic materials into valuable compost.

This webinar will explore the model and how similar approaches could be replicated at all 18 transfer stations across Ulster County, building on existing infrastructure and county investments to create sustainable waste management practices. Before Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency (UCRRA) commits Ulster County to costly new infrastructure—such as a $100M+ “put or pay” project that depends on more waste rather than less—Ulster County needs a Zero Waste Implementation Plan (ZWIP) guided by experts familiar with our local systems and inclusive of all key stakeholders, ensuring that reduction, reuse, recycling, and organics recovery are prioritized.

KingstonCitizens.org is pleased to host Greenway Environmental Services and other special guests to explore what’s possible—and why a locally informed, collaborative ZWIP should come first.

For more information, visit our website:  Ulster Toward Zero Waste

 

Monday, April 13 at 6:00pm

Civics 101: The People’s Guide to Local Government
With special guest Ward 9 Alderwoman and Majority Leader Michele Hirsch, who will join during the second hour to discuss the upcoming City of Kingston charter reform process and how the public can get involved.

Register:  https://hostyurl.com/2nOJ7i

Strong communities start with an informed public. Civics 101 gives everyone in Kingston the tools to understand, engage with, and shape local government—strengthening good government and building people power.

Participants will:

  • Explore the City of Kingston’s website and learn how local government works
  • Hear directly from staff and elected officials as they share their expertise and explain the processes they oversee
  • Gain practical tools and strategies to participate confidently in public life

The second hour will feature a focused discussion on City of Kingston Charter Reform and how the public can get involved with special guest Ward 9 Alderwoman and Majority Leader Michele Hirsch.

Ulster County Must Finish — and Adopt — Its Zero Waste Implementation Plan

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By Rebecca Martin

Ulster County is on the verge of making a major, long-term decision about how it handles trash—before completing the work it already committed to do.

Despite years of discussion and a formal zero waste policy adopted by the Ulster County Legislature in 2019, the County’s Zero Waste Implementation Plan has still not been completed or adopted. That unfinished work now looms large as the Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency (UCRRA) advances negotiations for a costly project.

At a Friday, December 12 board meeting, the UCRRA board granted Executive Director Marc Rider authority to negotiate with London-based developer Global NRG for a “cutting-edge” solid waste disposal facility. The proposed project would occupy five acres adjacent to the UCRRA complex at 999 Flatbush Avenue (State Route 32). Global NRG would lease the land but build, own, and operate the facility—at an estimated cost of $100 million.

According to a recent article, the facility would take in all of UCRRA’s municipal solid waste, forecast at 107,100 tons in 2025, with claims that landfill disposal would be reduced by 70 percent. Rider described a mixed materials recovery system using conveyor belts, magnets, and AI-driven optical sorting before converting trash into gas.

These promises may sound appealing—but gasification-style “waste-to-energy” systems raise concerns about air quality and toxic byproducts. These technologies have known environmental and operational uncertainties, including the need for a guaranteed, long-term supply of trash—risks undermining zero waste goals.

What makes this moment especially troubling is that Ulster County’s Zero Waste Implementation Plan remains unfinished.

While the County adopted a zero waste policy in 2019, the practical roadmap for how to achieve it—the implementation plan—has stalled repeatedly. At one point, approximately $10,000 was allocated toward advancing the plan, yet it was never brought to completion. Now, responsibility for finishing it rests with the Legislature, which would need to pass a budget amendment in the 2026 budget to complete the work. Without that action, the plan could be delayed yet again, potentially for years.

This matters because zero waste is not a slogan; it is a strategy. A true zero waste approach prioritizes waste reduction at the source, organics diversion, reuse and repair, and steady decreases in disposal. Entering into a long-term agreement for a facility that depends on a constant flow of trash risks creating incentives that conflict with the waste reduction strategies zero waste is meant to promote.

Ulster County should not lock itself into an expensive, high-risk waste-to-energy project while the Zero Waste Implementation Plan—promised years ago—remains unfinished and unfunded, pre-empting the very waste-reduction strategies the County claims to support.

TAKE ACTION:  Call your Ulster County Legislator to discuss this problem, and urge them to amend the budget to complete, adopt, and fully fund our Zero Waste Implementation plan—and put it to work. With each year of delay, we risk relying on projects that do nothing to reduce waste at the source or expand composting—a status quo we can no longer afford.

READ: Ulster agency eyes 70% reduction of garbage going to landfills with trash-to-gas system