Westchester County wants to know whether residents in Rye, Harrison, and Rye Brook are aware of the county's hazardous-waste recycling facility and how to make it more accessible.

The county announced Wednesday, July 29, a countywide recycling survey developed in partnership with Environmental Leaders of Color (ELOC), a Mount Vernon-based nonprofit led by Dr. Diana Williams. The anonymous survey takes less than two minutes and asks three things: whether residents know about the Household Material Recovery Facility, whether they've used it, and what would improve recycling countywide.

The initiative grew out of a student-led sustainability project at ELOC, which runs environmental education programs for young people in underserved communities. The nonprofit received the 2025 Westchester County Department of Environmental Conservation ECO Award.

The county said in its announcement that responses will guide future education efforts and help identify ways to make recycling programs more effective across Westchester's municipalities.

Local tax connection

Rye, Harrison, and Rye Brook fall within Refuse Disposal District No. 1, which funds the H-MRF through tax contributions. That means residents in all three communities pay no additional fees when they drop off household hazardous waste at the facility, located at 15 Woods Road in Valhalla.

The H-MRF accepts items that don't belong in curbside bins: electronics, car tires (up to four per household), fluorescent bulbs, textiles, paint, propane tanks, rechargeable batteries, refrigerant-containing appliances, and expired pharmaceuticals on the first Tuesday of each month. It also offers confidential document shredding.

The facility is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., by appointment only. Residents can schedule online or call the Recycling HelpLine at (914) 813-5425, available seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

How to participate

The survey is available at eloc.earth/westchester-waste-survey. No deadline has been set. The survey page has been collecting responses since late May, and the county encouraged residents to share the link with friends, family, and neighbors.

A county spokesperson was not available for comment on when results might be released or what specific policy changes could follow.