New Islip Recycling Program Shows 'Measurable Success' During Trail Phase

ISLIP, NY — West Islip is getting greener, thanks to a successful new recycling pilot program, the town announced on Wednesday.

Islip’s newly launched Recycling Pilot Program in West Islip has already demonstrated "measurable success in boosting local recycling efforts, showing promise for future expansion town-wide," the Town of Islip said in a statement.

According to the statement, in five weeks, its targeted initiative to increase paper and cardboard recycling resulted in a 24 percent increase in both the total tons collected and paper diversion rates, "proving both the community’s enthusiasm and the program’s potential."

The town’s Weekly Paper Collection Pilot Program, currently operating in designated areas of West Islip, was designed to increase participation in paper and cardboard recycling. The initiative aims to be self-sufficient, supporting environmental sustainability while also reducing overall waste management costs.

"West Islip has stepped up, and we’re thrilled to see this level of participation," said Supervisor Angie Carpenter. "These results are an encouraging early sign that this program can deliver real, tangible results, not just in West Islip, but potentially across the entire Town. From this example, we can see exactly how well the program works and how positively it’s been received by the community."

Results of the pre-commencement data are:

• The average weekly paper collected rose from 5.36 tons to 6.65 tons
• Paper diversion rate increased from 2.8 to 3.5 percent.
• These gains reflect a 24 percent increase in just five weeks since the program’s inception

The program’s structure offers residents in the pilot area more predictable, weekly opportunities to set out recyclable products on a dedicated collection day. By giving residents a regular weekly schedule, the pilot has already increased both awareness and engagement.

Given the success of this trial phase, the Town plans to continue monitoring the program’s progress and exploring expansion opportunities to include additional communities soon.