Monroe County Executive Adam Bello Marks 10th Anniversary of the ecopark Opening

October 7th, 2021

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Monroe County Executive Adam Bello is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the opening of the Monroe County / Waste Management ecopark while highlighting the environmental achievements made at the facility.

In 2011, Monroe County partnered with Waste Management, Inc. to create ecopark in response to overwhelming demand for expanded community recycling. Millions of pounds of electronic waste, confidential documents, plastic, chemicals and more have been properly disposed of at ecopark and repurposed into new products.

“Though ecopark, Monroe County residents have diverted a staggering amount of toxic waste, old electronics, refrigerants and valuable paper and metal from landfills.” said Monroe County Executive Adam Bello. “Just the amount of tires recycled at ecopark would stack as high as 15 times the Xerox Tower. The amount household hazardous waste recycled here, in liquid form, would fill an Olympic pool and then some. These materials are not only diverted from landfills, they are reused and repurposed into new products. I feel at ease knowing this waste has been properly recycled and not ended up in our air, waterways, and backyards.”

Since 2011, county residents have utilized ecopark to recycle more than:

  • 5,000,000 pounds of electronic waste

  • 2,500 tons of household hazardous waste (paint, gasoline, automotive fluids)

  • 9,000 tires

  • 820 tons of scrap metal

  • 460,000 pounds of confidential documents

Rather than going to landfills, those items have been repurposed into products such as tissue paper and paper towels, newsprint, bicycle frames, components for bridges, composite lumber, synthetic turf, and biofuel.

Monroe County continues to be a leader in environmental sustainability, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to the future. Ecopark is one of the county’s key sustainability initiatives.

Monroe County thanks Waste Management, Sunnking, Cascades, Metalico, Wegmans, HTI, Baker Commodities, Covanta, Clean Harbors, the City of Rochester, Goodwill, ImagineIt, Interstate Refrigerant Company, Call to Recycle, Cell Phones for Soldiers, Ronald McDonald House and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office for their partnerships in ensuring proper disposal of items at ecopark.

To learn more about ecopark, including acceptable items, visit monroecounty.gov/ecopark. Appointments are required for hazardous waste only and can be made through the website. Fees will be charged for certain items, including televisions and monitors, tires and appliances with refrigerant.

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