Sierra Processing
Materials Recovery Facility
Safe and Responsible Waste Disposal, Diversion and Recycling Services
Sierra Processing is the Capital Region’s only Material Recovery Facility (MRF). We receive, separate and prepare recyclable materials for end-user manufacturers.
This recycling facility serves an essential function in County Waste's environmental waste management infrastructure in New York.
The Benefits of Recycling
When it comes to sustainability and managing waste, the EPA ranks recycling as number two in their Sustainable Materials Management: Non-Hazardous Materials and Waste Management Hierarchy.
The benefits of recycling include:
- Preventing the emission of many greenhouse gases and water pollutants
- Saving energy
- Supplying valuable raw materials to industry
- Creating jobs
- Stimulating the development of greener technologies
- Conserving resources for our children's future
- Reducing the need for new landfills and combustors
Check Out Our Recycling Guide
Recycling waste reduces reliance on landfills. When your business recycles and you recycle at home, you’re saving the energy needed and reducing the environmental impact to reproduce these same materials. Check out what you can recycle below. Acceptable and not acceptable items vary by location. Please contact your local office for details.
- Beverage bottles
- Jugs
- Jars
- Food containers
- Newspaper
- Magazines
- Books
- Office paper
- Most bottles
- Jugs
- Jars
- Aluminum cans
- Steel cans
- Aluminum bottles
- Steel bottles
Recycling Safety
Whenever someone puts an item in the recycling stream that’s not accepted, it is someone else’s job to take it out. When unacceptable items are placed in recycling collection containers they end up at Sierra Processing in Albany and they put locals at risk: our co-workers, local first responders and the public.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), at least 25 MRF workers died on the job between 2011 and 2017.
Never place unacceptable items in residential or business containers for recycling collection. These items are especially dangerous to people and equipment.
IMPORTANT
If you are not 100% sure an item can be placed in a residential or commercial recycling container, visit the Recycling section of this website.
And remember, there are many items that are not allowed in any County Waste container like ammunition, batteries, cell phones, electronics, fuels, Household Hazardous Waste, liquids, and needles/sharps.
