Study: Smithtown Recycling Down 18 Percent

Recycling in the Town of Smithtown has slid more than 18 percent since 1998, a new study by Stony Brook University revealed on Tuesday, meaning more garbage is ending up in incinerators than in Long Island recycling stations.

According to the study, Smithtown produced 141,791 tons of waste in 2009, with 107,727 tons being incinerated and 34,064 tons being recycled. In 1998, 42 percent of the town's waste was being recycled.

Recycling rates slid throughout Long Island as well, falling to 24 percent of total waste in 2009 compared to 29 percent in 1998. 

Though the drop in recycling may set off alarms, the study's authors said many factors were at play, including a move toward lighter packaging materials in the past decade and better tracking for recycling programs.

“Our study showed a decrease in all curbside recycling programs, which is at least partially the result of more precise accounting of recycling, and changes in materials—for example, the substitution of plastic for heavier materials and lighter packaging in general,” said study co-author R. Lawrence Swanson of the Waste Reduction and Management Institute in the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at Stony Brook, in a statement.

According to the study, Smithtown, which covers 53.6 square miles, processes much of its recycling at the Smithtown Municipal Services Facility in Kings Park, though it also sends recycling to WM Recycle America in Brooklyn, Franza Universal Scrap Metal in Farmingdale, Trinity Transportation/Hillside Recycling Facility in Islandia, Supreme Computer & Electronics Recycling in Lakewood, N.J., e-Scrap Destruction in Islandia and Blydenburgh Road Clean Fill in Islip.

The bulk of the town's recycling, though, is yard waste such as branches and leaves, making up 25,617 tons in 2009. Paper recycling amounted to 6,891 tons, while curbside pickup of glass, metal and plastic containers was only 708 tons.

The town provides containers for paper and containers, alternating pick-up every week.

The rest of the trash is taken to the Covanta Energy plan in East Northport, where is it burned to create energy.