On the Road with Polly: See on Top and Inside of the Madison County Landfill and Recycling Center

We have another edition of On the Road with Polly brought to you by Buy Madison County, and this one is taking you inside the Madison County Recycling Center and ON TOP of the landfill.

It's interesting to see where your trash and recyclables go after you put them on the curb. It's important to note that each county has its own recycling rules, so you should check this link to see what's permissible in Madison County.

Not Everything is Recyclable

You may be surprised to learn that any box that goes in the fridge, like beer boxes, is not recyclable. Same thing for the plastic rings that hold soda bottles together. (That's why they end up in waterways and harm wildlife. Remember to cut them up so they don't get around necks or other parts of wildlife.)

See my full recycling center tour here:

Second Life

Seeing the pallets of plastic, cardboard, and aluminum from about 68,000 people really put into perspective how much we use. The crushed cans actually looked like a piece of art, which some artists have taken advantage of in the past.

It's great to think about all these things having a second life instead of going into the landfill.

Where's the Smell

Speaking of the landfill, the first thing you'll notice at the top of the landfill is the lack of the typical dump stench. "I smelled nothing!"

Recycling Coordinator Kristin Welch explained that most landfill odor comes from methane gas, which they manage through a series of pipes that pull the methane to a flare. It burns off.

New Cell Coming

That's just one impressive design aspect of the landfill, which has been operating since the 1970s.

It's divided into cells, which have two plastic liners that sit on top of two feet of impermeable clay. Those layers, along with the pipes, help protect the environment and prevent water and ground contamination.

Work is currently being done on a new cell at the landfill.

Buy Madison

Madison County's landfill and recycling center only handles trash and recyclables from Madison County, and Buy Madison County has been highlighting local businesses and services to strengthen the community and local economy.

When you shop in Madison County, your sales tax stays local, you support local jobs, and you reduce your carbon footprint by driving less. Learn more about Buy Madison County and find exclusive local deals at buymadisoncountyny.com.