L-R: John Becker, Chairman of the Madison County Board of Supervisors, Michael Johnson, General Manager of Johnson Brothers Lumber, Congressman Richard L. Hanna, Frank Costello, former Fenner Town Supervisor, James Goldstein, Lebanon Town Supervisor and Chairman of the Madison County Dept. of Solid Waste and Sanitation, James Zecca, Director of the Dept. of Solid Waste and Kipp Hicks, Director of the Madison County Industrial Development Agency participate in the snow throw/ground breaking for Johnson Brothers Lumber’s new drying kilns at the Buyea Rd. Landfill site on Dec. 12, 2014. Photo by Sharon A. Driscoll, media director.
By Sharon A. Driscoll, Media Director
(Madison County, NY – Dec. 2014) James A. Zecca, Director of the Madison County Dept. of Solid Waste and Sanitation, was recently honored by his peers during the 25th Annual New York State Association of Recycling Conference in Cooperstown, NY where he was presented with the “Recycling Leadership Award for Life Time Achievement.”
Director Zecca has made it his life’s work to promote recycling. His recycling passion began when he was a student at SUNY Cobleskill in the 1970’s when against some tough opposition he started the first recycling program at the college.
His passion for recycling has served him well throughout his career. In the 1980’s he was the Recycling Center Supervisor in Wilton, and then the Town of Milford Recycling and Bio-solids Composting Coordinator in New Hampshire. In the late 80’s as Mayor of Oriskany Falls he initiated the first mandatory curbside recycling program in Oneida County.
Zecca became Director of the Madison County Dept. of Solid Waste and Sanitation in 1988. Since that time he has worked tirelessly to promote recycling and reuse in Madison County. His forward thinking attitude and determination has made Madison County a leader in recycling in New York State.
The newest initiatives pursued by Director Zecca, Solar energy and Gas-to-Energy, have put Madison County’s landfill on the international map. Visitors from Australia, Ecuador, Russia and Sweden, along with visitors from across the United States, have toured the Buyea Rd. Landfill site seeking information on renewable energy from Director Zecca.
One of the newest endeavors at the Dept. of Solid Waste is the pursuit of plastics-to-oil. Director Zecca along with the Solid Waste and Recycling Committee and the Madison County Industrial Development Corporation (IDA) are working to bring a plastic-to-oil company to the newly created ARE Park (business Park) at the Buyea Rd. Landfill.
“We would like to become a regional collection site for agricultural and rigid plastics that would be turned into diesel fuel for use in heavy equipment,” said Zecca. “Bringing a company like that to Madison County would provide much needed jobs for our area and save the county thousands of dollars in fuel costs for the County Highway Dept. and the fleet at the Landfill.”
“To be recognized by my peers was a great honor, a pleasant surprise and a wonderful way to celebrate the 25th anniversary of NYSAR III. NYSAR has worked to make New York State a leader in recycling across the state,” said Director Zecca.