Junk removal costs in Syracuse

A lot of what leaves a Syracuse house ends up as electricity. The Onondaga County Resource Recovery Agency, OCRRA, turns the county's trash into power through its waste-to-energy program. It doesn't collect at the curb; each city, town or village decides that, with its own crews or a private hauler. OCRRA runs where the trash goes, including transfer stations where you can drop things off.

Rock Cut Road in Jamesville is the one to use, since Ley Creek in Liverpool is temporarily closed. OCRRA counts carpet, furniture, mattresses and large appliances as bulky waste, plus anything over 6 feet in any direction, and Rock Cut Road takes it. Remodeling and demolition debris goes there too. It gets sorted, most of it is turned into electricity, and what can't be processed goes to a landfill. Tarp every open load, and plan to unload it yourself, because staff can't help.

Paint and household chemicals need an appointment. OCRRA sends them to Miller Environmental Group on State Fair Boulevard, allows two appointments a year, and asks you to wait until you have at least a box full.

Contractors and haulers you hire count as businesses there, with weekday-only hours of their own. Hauling it yourself means working around a short clock. Rock Cut Road's resident hours are only 3:30 to 6 p.m. on weekdays, plus Saturday mornings, for Onondaga County residents bringing their own household loads.