Waste Management

Christine Fetten,
Town Director of Municipal Works
Email: cfetten@southamptontownny.gov 
Phone (631) 283-5210
Fax: (631) 283-3732

Recycling Centers' Main Office
Phone: (631) 283-5210
Fax: (631) 283 - 3732
Office Hours: Monday thru Friday
8:00am to 4:00pm

Recycling Centers:

Both Compost and Wood Mulch are available FREE OF CHARGE to Residential Self Haulers at the North Sea, Hampton Bays and Westhampton Recycling Centers on a first come first serve basis Recycling Centers' Main Office. 

Southampton Town has a comprehensive solid waste management and recycling program. The purpose of the program is to meet the Town's disposal needs as effectively and efficiently as possible while protecting our natural resources.

The Town is required by the Environmental Conservation Law to have a Solid Waste Management Plan (SWMP). The below listed documents are the draft of the most recent SWMP Update. The public is invited to provide written comments regarding the contents of this plan between December 13, 2011 until January 31, 2012. Comments should be submitted to the Town Clerk’s Office at 116, Hampton Road, Southampton, New York 11968 or emailed to townclerk@southamptontownny.gov.

The SWMP was originally released in March 1990, subsequent revisions were completed in 1992, 1993, 1994, and March 1995 with additional changes and updated specified in the Town’s bi-annual SWMP Compliance Reports.

The Town is currently in the process of updating the SWMP. This update will be prepared in accordance with the New York State Solid Waste Management Act of 1988 and New Yourk State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) regulations (Chapter IV, Subpart 360-15: Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Planning).

Departmental History and Overview

The mission of the Southampton Town Waste Management Division is to provide waste management services to Town residents that is cost-effective, convenient, and that promotes waste reduction and recycling.

The present method of solid waste management in Southampton Town includes participation in the mandatory recycling of certain materials, and participation in the Pay-Per-Bag program. All waste handled by Southampton Town is self-hauled to the Recycling Centers by residents.

The Town is not responsible for the curbside collection of solid waste within the Town. Rather, private collection service companies collect a percentage of the residential waste stream and nearly all of the waste stream generated by commercial, industrial, non-hazardous institutional and farms. Such large-volume generators must arrange privately to haul trash and recyclables to receiving centers located outside the Town.

The disposal center on Major's Path had been used as a landfill since 1963. However, by decree of the Long Island Landfill Law, landfilling operations ended in December 1995 when the facility was converted to a transfer station, and all materials brought to the site for disposal were then and continue to be transported to receiving centers located outside of Southampton Town.

Specifically, the non-recycled garbage, including bulk items, is transported to private vendors for disposal. The recyclable items are transported to regional receiving centers. Depending on the status of the recycling markets, the Town may then receive payment for the individual recyclable materials.

The North Sea Landfill has three capped cells, which was required by Department of Environmental Conservation regulations. Cell 1, which was filled to capacity by 1984, was unlined, but Cell 2 and Cell 3 are both lined and equipped with a leachate collection system (leachate is water filtered through the waste). None of the cells currently receive waste.

After the final capping project at Cell 3, the Town commissioned a Recreational Use Master Plan for the North Sea Landfill site. This Master Plan developed a recreational facility for public use on the southern portion of the site.

Also, in early 2002, the Town implemented a yard-waste recycling program at three of its four recycling centers. Through this program, the Town processes the brush less than 3" in diameter and leaves received at the stations to produce commercial grade unscreened compost and mulch products. Mulch is available to residents at no cost and must be loaded by the resident.

The Town currently recycles approximately 50% of the waste that is handled through its facilities, which includes that portion of the population that choose to self-haul. Residents who wish to participate in the self-hauler program must purchase and use the official Town Garbage Bags for all non-recyclable trash, and source separate all recyclables. All non-recyclable items that do not fit in the Town Garbage Bags may be disposed for an additional fee. (See Revised Waste Management Fee Schedule) There is no charge for the proper disposal of recyclables, as defined by Town Code.

In addition to providing the four Recycling Centers, Southampton Town also offers public education programs to encourage continuing sound solid waste disposal practices within the Town.

Since 1990 the Town has participated in and now sponsors the annual Great East End Clean-Up. This project uses volunteers who select an area of publicly maintained property that has been impacted by illegal dumping to clear away the debris and restore it to its natural condition. As of 2001, the Great East End Clean-Up enjoyed the participation of more than 300 volunteers of all ages and walks of life, clearing away more than 100 tons of debris from Southampton's beaches, trails, parkland and roadsides.

To discourage further illegal dumping the Town has also established the Illegal Dumping Bounty Hunter Reward. Through this program, anyone who provides information that leads to the prosecution of an illegal dumper is eligible to a reward of one-half of the fine, up to $1,000, levied against the violator. Current penalties for illegal dumping include fines up to $5,000 and/or up to 30 days in jail.

Your enthusiastic participation in our recycling program has made it a great success. Thanks to you, the results have surpassed our expectations.

Free viewers are required for all of the above listed documents.
They can be downloaded by clicking on the icons found below.