Single Stream Recycling Slowly Catching On

By Nancy K. Crevier

Recycling is truly a case of “the more, the merrier,” and since July 1 when Newtown started single stream curbside recycling, enabling residents to easily recycle just about any household plastic, metal, or paper product, curbside bins have been filled to the brim. Single stream curbside recycling is part of a regional effort to further reduce solid waste dumped at municipal landfills. Newtown is one of 11 municipalities in western Connecticut that make up the Housatonic Resources Recovery Authority (HRRA), an agency dedicated to waste management.

“We have definitely been fielding more phone calls lately about single stream recycling,” said Arlene Miles, administrator and recycling coordinator at Newtown Public Works. People have questions about what can and cannot now be recycled curbside, she said.

“Now, we take all kinds of cardboard, including the cardboard milk containers, and cereal or cracker boxes. We take all plastics, numbers 1 through 7, now. That includes things like yogurt containers, which were not recyclable curbside before,” she said. “Just about the only things we don’t take are Styrofoam items or plastic bags,” said Ms Miles. Prior to July 1, said Ms Miles, #1 and #2 plastic containers were the only plastics that could be recycled for curbside pick up, and corrugated cardboard was the only cardboard accepted.

Newtown recyclables, collected by one of two contractors, Pendergast or Winter Brothers, are taken either to the Newtown transfer station on Ethan Allen Road and then to the regional recycling center in Danbury, or go directly to the regional center. The Town of Newtown does not reap a monetary benefit, but the HRRA is paid $7 per ton for recyclables collected in any towns in the region, so long as those items go to the Danbury recycling center, according to Cheryl Reedy, director of the HRRA. That money pays for public education about recycling, the annual recycling poster contest for kids, and other recycling programs and services in the HRRA towns.

The nice thing about single stream recycling, besides the reduction in solid waste, Ms Miles noted, is that recyclables no longer have to be separated in any way. Cardboard, newspapers, glass, plastics, and metals can mingle in one bin or bag.

Ms Reedy agreed that simplifying the recycling effort would increase consumer recycling efforts. “The benefit of single stream recycling,” said Ms Reedy, “is the ease of use and convenience for residents. Many people have not recycled, or don’t recycle regularly, because they find it too time-consuming to cut up cardboard, and bundle newspapers, magazines, and cardboard separately. With single stream recycling, all residents have to do is toss any recyclable item into a bag or bin, without the need to sort, cut up, or bundle.”

All items can be bagged in clear plastic bags, or placed in the recycling bins provided by the town, and put out on the curbside for pickup on the designated day by one of the contractors that collect recyclables in Newtown, said Ms Miles. Jars and containers should be rinsed and relatively clean and food-free. “We ask that any paper items go into the clear plastic bags, so that they don’t get wet,” she said. If rain is not expected, it is acceptable to put out newspapers in brown paper bags.

Where to get the clear plastic bags for recycling has been a frequent question, Ms Miles said, to the point that she visited every business in town and has posted sources online at the town website, www.newtown-ct.gov, along with a complete list of items that can now be recycled.

“My biggest concern right now is to make sure people are aware of single stream recycling. Education is the biggest thing for me,” said Ms Miles.

Ms Reedy said that eventually the HRRA expects about a 20 percent increase in recycling, due to the single stream program now in place. “We have already seen a steady rise in recycling tonnage throughout the region since single stream recycling was initiated, about five percent, so far,” said Ms Reedy.

It’s The Law

Recycling properly is more than just a good will gesture for Connecticut citizens. According to HRRA, Connecticut law requires every homeowner, renter, business owner, and employee to separate recyclables from municipal solid waste (garbage) before leaving it curbside, or before taking it to the local landfill. Haulers and landfill employees are responsible for reporting customers who do not comply. The HRRA website, www.hrra.org, notes that 75 percent of what is tossed in the trash could actually be recycled.

Curbside recycling now includes paper milk cartons and egg cartons, cereal and cracker boxes, corrugated cardboard; steel, tin, or aluminum cans, aluminum foil and foil baking containers; phonebooks, paperback books, paper bags, newspapers, inserts, junk mail, magazines, office paper, school papers, folders, and greeting cards; glass bottles and jars; #1–7 plastics; shredded paper, plastic caps and lids; hardcover books; pots and pans; metal or plastic hangers; and plastic flower pots.

Residential electronics cannot be recycled curbside, but can be brought to the transfer station on Ethan Allen Road. Those items include televisions, computers and monitors, printers, fax machines and telephones, cellphones, video games, VCR and DVD players, and digital cameras.

Even though the electronic items are not collected curbside, the e-waste tonnage collected at the Newtown transfer station does count toward Newtown’s recycling rate, Ms Reedy said. “Newtown residents have done an extraordinary job of recycling old electronics,” she noted, and added, “In the past 12 months, Newtown residents have recycled more than 90 tons of used electronics, about 6.5 pounds per person.”

For a complete list of recyclables visit www.newtown-ct.gov, or for more information, call 203-270-4330.