Bucking a national trend, the county continues to recycle its garbage. The municipal recycling rate is up from 48 to 51 percent; the housing construction decline caused a downturn in privately hauled collection from 48 to 41 percent.

The overall rate in the county for 2008 was 46 percent, far exceeding the national goal of 35 percent set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The municipal recycling rate – which reflects mainly residential recycling – was 51 percent in 2008, up from 48 percent the year before.

The communities with the highest percentage of recycling were Scarsdale, 70 percent; Rye City, 66 percent; Yorktown, 65 percent; Bronxville, 64 percent; and Briarcliff, 62 percent. Somers, at 18 percent, and Lewisboro, at 20 percent, fared the worst.

Those communities with the highest recycling rates tended to be those that upped their efforts on recycling organic waste. In contrast, those with lower rates tended to be in more rural areas where residents tend to rake fall leaves into brush and woods around their homes. See the results for all municipalities.

"I am so proud of Westchester County residents," said County Executive Andy Spano. "Recycling is good for the environment and it also saves money."

The county attributes the impressive recycling numbers to ongoing enforcement and educational efforts.

Other key points:

• Overall in 2008, the amount of garbage collected was down by 51,000 tons, or 6.5 percent, while recycled tonnage increased by 24,300 tons, or 17 percent.
• Yard waste separated and collected also increased by 23,000 tons, or 9 percent.
• The most-improved recycling results were in Tarrytown, from 28 percent in 2007 to 50 percent in 2008, and New Rochelle, from 28 in 2007 to 44 percent in 2008. This was largely due to increased organic yard waste recycling.
• With the decline in the housing market, construction and demolition debris collected and recycled by private haulers has gone down, resulting in an overall recycling rate decline for private haulers from 48 to 41 percent. The amount of debris collected was 111,069 tons lower, or 19 percent, and recycled tonnage decreased by 131,879 tons, or 32 percent.