Sunday, November 15, 2026
Waste management was discussed at the Sea Cliff Board of Trustees’ public meeting Monday night as residents asked for updates on recycling, composting and leaf collection.
The board listened to a presentation by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation in April about developing a comprehensive recycling analysis. At that time, the purpose of considering the analysis was to find strategies to increase recycling compliance in the village.
Resident Laura Russo, former co-chair of the village’s Environmental Conservation Commission, claimed Monday night that Sea Cliff is out of compliance with DEC regulations because it is neither part of a local solid waste management plan nor does it have its own comprehensive recycling analysis in place.
Mayor Elena Villafane and Village Administrator Bruce Kennedy both said that DEC officials explicitly told them in April that Sea Cliff was in compliance.
“We did an annual inspection and we passed it,” Kennedy said. “We’re doing everything we’re supposed to do.”
Russo cited section 360.11 of New York’s codes, rules and regulations which details the comprehensive recycling analysis. The DEC describes the analysis as “a document intended to help a municipality develop and implement a sound, long-term, recyclables recovery program.”
Planning units, which can be counties, cities, towns, villages or a combination, submit local solid waste management plans to the DEC for approval. These plans evaluate current waste management practices, options and alternatives available for future management and put in place steps for a 10-year planning period as well establishing projections of waste disposal reduction over those 10 years. The DEC’s website also states that municipalities not affiliated with a planning unit for waste management are “responsible to developing and implementing a comprehensive recycling analysis.”
The Town of Oyster Bay has an approved local solid waste management plan on file with the DEC. Sea Cliff is listed as a community not participating in the solid waste disposal district.
Villafane responded to Russo by reiterating that she and trustees were told the village is in compliance but that the village will follow up on the alleged discrepancy, looking into the information Russo presented.
“They told us we were in compliance,” she said. “They’re in charge of our facility, and they are the people that we report to.”
Regarding composting, Russo asked for a status update on possible collaboration with other municipalities on a community composting program. Resident Kevin White also voiced support for the idea.
“There’s interest among residents,” she said, “and I would like to see us begin with a small, manageable, monitored food scrap drop off program.”
Villafane said that the village continues to work with Waste Management, the company that handles the village’s garbage and recycling, which is contacting surrounding municipalities. The goal, she said, is to evaluate the feasibility of community composting if it cannot be done at Sea Cliff’s Department of Public Works.
“We are not staffed for it,” Villafane explained. “It is not an appropriate use of that facility considering the closeness of the residential properties, and it would be an additional stress on our community.” She also raised concerns about negative impacts from residents potentially composting incorrectly and food scraps sitting in DPW’s open containers for too long.
Russo requested clarification on how leaves in the village’s waste stream are handled, saying she has received conflicting information.
“I was told on Monday, by Village Hall, there’s a separate collection run for bagged leaves,” Russo said, “and Tuesday, a sanitation worker told me that leaves are collected with household garbage and later separated.”
Villafane responded that bagged leaves are picked up with regular sanitation and that six bags weighing a maximum of 20 pounds each per collection day will be accepted. She also said that the village recommends residents mulch their leaves “as a more environmentally sensitive practice.”
Kennedy added that at the height of the season, the volume of leaves to be picked up is too great for regular sanitation staff, so additional tracks collect excess bags. When that happens, he said, leaves end up in the DPW yard with yard waste.
Russo asked for clarification on what happens to leaves picked up curbside. Kennedy confirmed that leaves picked up with regular garbage go to a landfill.
“I think people would appreciate that leaves would be collected separate from the garbage,” Russo said, “so they could be composted.”
Villafane responded, saying the village would consider a better method.
“We do not profess to be perfect,” she said. “We try as hard as we can with what we have.”
The Board of Trustees holds its next public conference meeting on Dec. 7.
