National ABC News Investigation Highlights Plastic Pollution Sent to State's Largest Landfill

SENECA FALLS, NY (06/05/2023) (readMedia)-- On Wednesday, May 31, ABC News reported that Seneca Meadows – the state's largest landfill – receives plastic bags that are meant to be recycled. According to the story:

"More than 200 miles away from the Kingston, New York, Target store's plastic bag recycling bin lies Seneca Meadows, a landfill that does not recycle plastic bags. Yet the facility in Seneca County, which is New York's largest garbage dump, was the last place where a plastic bag tracker placed by ABC News inside the recycling bin at the Kingston Target ended up pinging."

The story also reported that less than 1% of the waste that ends up in Seneca Meadows originates in Seneca County. According to Seneca Meadows' 2022 annual report, 30% of the waste in the landfill is trash from New York City, and 16% comes from out of state.

In response, on Monday, June 5th, Seneca Lake Guardian, Environmental Advocates NY, and Assemblymember Anna Kelles will gather on Zoom to demand Governor Hochul close the landfill in 2025 per a local ordinance and enact a comprehensive zero-waste strategy.