It took a bit of sleuth work, but I think I understand about the paper bags for leaves and small brush. Seeing them out on the curb around the Village, I wondered how to get them and if they are going to a composting facility.

Unfortunately they are not. They just get thrown in with the trash by our Highway Department. If you live in an unincorporated part of the Town of Orangetown, your compostable materials are picked up and taken to the Town of Clarkstown’s composting facility. It is the big pile of smelly material at the corner of Rte 303 and Rte 59 that you can sometimes smell from the mall’s parking lot.

The County is apparently working on a plan to deal with trash separation, so that recyclable and compostable material doesn’t end up in the landfill. The Village has a group working on ways to make itself more “green”. Separating compostable materials from the waste stream would be a good start.

If you do want a bundle of those paper bags for free, you can go to the Town of Orangetown Hall and pick one up. All you need to do is write down you name and address on a list.