Shelter Island transfer station and Town bags

Shelter Island sends its trash and recycling off the island, and the Town makes residents pay for that through its own garbage bags. All household waste other than designated recyclables must go in bags imprinted with the Town’s seal, and the bag fee covers the cost of carting the waste and recyclables off-island. Planning to rent on the island? See Shelter Island rentals on Hamptons Key and read this before you move in.

Recyclables

The Recycling & Transfer Station sorts recyclables by type, and the Town is strict about it.

• Paper: clean and dry newspaper and mixed paper, including cereal boxes. No waxed paper, and nothing contaminated by food or bodily fluids. Those go in Town bags.
• Cardboard: clean corrugated cardboard only, with no waxed or fish boxes.
• Glass: bottles and jars, rinsed. No ceramics, plate glass, light bulbs, mirrors, windowpanes or drinking glasses.
• Cans: tin and aluminum, rinsed and free of food. No propane cylinders or aerosol cans.
• Plastics: the Town currently accepts numbers 1, 2 and 5; the other numbers go in a Town bag.

The scale house

Some items go to the scale house, where fees apply and the scale master answers questions. The Town’s list covers large and hazardous-to-landfill items: appliances, scrap metal, furniture, tires, construction debris and fill, vehicle batteries and propane tanks. The Town notes that all fees are subject to change.

Hazardous waste and the goody area

Household hazardous waste, such as antifreeze, cleaners, non-latex paint and pesticides, goes to the Town’s S.T.O.P. program on the first Saturday of every month, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., unless advertised otherwise. A “goody area” takes small working items and clothing for reuse, open 10 a.m. to noon and 2 to 4 p.m. under supervision.

Enforcement

Town law sets fines of $50 to $1,000 and up to 40 hours of community service. The listed violations include putting non-recyclables in anything other than a Town bag, dumping outside the gates, failing to sort recyclables and illegally disposing of hazardous waste. Attendants may inspect what you bring.

For renters

Buy the Town’s bags before your first trip. If the owner includes trash in the rent, ask in writing, and read how the next town west handles it in Southampton Town’s green-bag system. The Shelter Island profile covers the rest of daily life on the island.