Westport is now in the second week of a new single stream recycling program, but some residents don’t know a thing about it, some don’t understand it, and some don’t like it at all because for most it means that garbage will be picked up once a week instead of twice.
However, according to Town officials and most local garbage haulers, although the new recycling rules will take a bit of getting used to, it will more than likely work out just fine.
So what does it mean to residents when they throw out their garbage?
Simply put, single stream recycling means that more items are now recyclable than ever before. For those who wish to do their share of protecting the environment, there is now the opportunity to reduce the amount of garbage and increase the amount of recyclable items placed in recycling bins.
Garbage will continue to be placed in sealed plastic bags and thrown in garbage bins, and recyclable items are still placed directly in recycling bins, rinsed if necessary, but never wrapped up in plastic.
But now, in addition to the usual soda bottles and cans, glass bottles, plastic water containers and newspapers, items like juice cartons, milk cartons, cereal and shoe boxes, egg cartons and a whole variety of plastic food containers under 3 gallons are considered recyclable. So is junk mail, catalogs, clean aluminum, steel cans, foil food trays and aerosol cans that contained food or cosmetic products like shaving cream.
Steve Edwards, Director of Public Works suggests that people rinse the items that have held food before placing them in the recycling bin so they don’t attract bugs.
He said the reason recyclables are not bagged is because they are separated by density and optical scanners using an automated process that is compromised if items are not loosely assembled when scanned. He suggested an easy way of recycling is to keep a separate brown bag in the house which can be filled daily with recyclable items and dump the items in the recycling containers at the end of the day.
When asked if people are confused, Edwards said most people are happy with the change except for the reduction to a once-a-week garbage pickup.
“We’ve had an awful lot of positive feedback that we can finally recycle more plastics,” he said. “The only criticism that we’ve gotten is the fact that most garbage men are coming once a week for garbage and once a week for recycling. Forty percent of Westport has had twice a week garbage collections but the trash companies have to have a dedicated pickup for recycling. Some people don’t want to leave garbage out for a whole week. I say there is no reason you can’t leave it out, wrapped in plastic bags, in a closed container. Only here in Westport do we have twice-a-week pickups. Most of the world gets by with once a week pickup. People can still get twice weekly pickups, but you will have to pay a premium for it.”
Source: MinuteMen Newscenter
By Bonnie Adler