Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Tompkins recycling revenue falls; department warns 2026 budget will be tight
Summary
The county’s recycling division reported falling commodity revenues through July, with updated projections well below assumptions used in current budgets. Department staff warned the committee that 2026 budgeting will be challenging and said they are discussing savings and reserve options.
Tompkins County recycling officials told the Planning, Energy and Environmental Quality Committee on Aug. 11 that revenues from the sale of recyclable materials have fallen sharply and are likely to end 2025 well below earlier budget assumptions.
Committee members heard updated monthly figures and projections that show prices continuing to decline and increasing pressure on the department’s enterprise fund.
Department staff said the county budgeted $95 per ton as an expectation for 2025 but revised forecasts have fallen: the department projected a $77-per-ton expectation earlier in the year, updated to $62 per ton through June, and then to $59 per ton after incorporating July receipts. Department staff said the July price was about $45 a ton.
"June is down. We just got July's number . . . I think it was $45 a ton," said…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
