The Division of Solid Waste Management of the Dutchess County Department of Planning and Development formulates programs for the collection and disposal of solid waste (discarded material) generated within Dutchess County.
Our main function is to implement the Dutchess County Local Solid Waste Management Plan.
The three main goals of the plan are:
Reducing the amount of waste generated within Dutchess County
The Dutchess County Division of Solid Waste has entered into an agreement with a consulting firm to conduct a waste reduction and diversion feasibility study. The study officially kicked off in October 2025.We will be hosting a virtual presentation on the findings of the study in the fall of 2026. After the presentation the Division will open a comment period where residents will be welcomed to submit their comments by mail or email.
Project updates:
Analysis of Waste Composition and Gap Analysis
Strategy Recommendations for Waste Diversion
For questions, please email our office at solidwastemgmt@dutchessny.gov or call (845) 486-2826.
To celebrate America Recycles Day (November 15th), the Division of Solid Waste Management annually hosts the "America Recycles Day Art Challenge", designed for K-12 students in Dutchess County. The goal of the project is to educate young people on recycling practices while also having them reimagine materials they would otherwise throw away. Materials for each project are collected by the student, bringing attention to how much waste accumulates daily and how much can be recycled or reused creatively.
A reception is held to congratulate the winners and all winning artwork is displayed at the Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site in their Henry A. Wallace Center.
Registration for the October 17th event being held in Poughkeepsie (626 Dutchess Turnpike, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601) has been filled. We will announce next year's dates in late spring of 2027.
What happens to your trash Beyond the Bin in New York State? With landfills becoming full, what is thrown away matters more than ever. Go behind the scenes of municipal solid waste management in New York State and hear from experts about where the waste goes, the challenges facing our disposal systems, and how reducing waste helps conserve our earth's natural resources.
In this video developed by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, they examine where garbage goes once it leaves the curb.
Learn about composting from an expert! Join us on September 28, 2026 at 5:30 pm at the Pleasant Valley Free Library to learn how to compost at home, how to resolve common problems and how finished compost can be used.
Seating is limited; registration is required. Visit dutchessny.gov/workshop to register. For more information click here .
Dutchess County has partnered with Recycle Coach, a free mobile and desktop app designed to help residents better understand what can and cannot be recycled, right from their smartphones or computers. The collaboration aims to avoid confusion about recycling and answer residents' questions about recycling at any time of day.
The Recycle Coach digital platform offers several benefits to residents, including a handy search tool to learn how to properly dispose of household items - from aerosol cans to wrapping paper - as well as educational tips to reduce waste, reuse materials and recycle more effectively. Users of the mobile app can snap a photo of materials and learn how they can be correctly recycled or disposed of. Residents can access the Recycle Coach app directly through this website at the top of the page, or download it from the Apple App Store or Google Play.
Every other month we will be focusing on a recycling topic to support efforts to reduce contamination in household recycling across Dutchess County.
Dutchess County holds a hazardous waste collection event for businesses, schools and farms that generate less than 220 pounds of hazardous waste per month. The 2026 event registration has now closed. Please check back in late spring of 2027 for next year's date. For more information, email solidwastemgmt@dutchessny.gov or call (845)-486-2841.
Textile Recycling
Find information on composting and how to purchase a backyard compost bin
Helpful information on reducing and reusing items
Registration has been closed. Check back in the spring for 2027 dates.
The County has recycling containers to borrow for your next big event
See where your local transfer station is located and what items they will accept
Recycling rates, accomplishments, facility information and more in the 2019 Annual Report
