Fairgoers, vendors, and volunteer “Recycling Am-bassadors” collectively recycled over 12 tons of what would have been trash at this year’s Marsh-field Fair.   Due to separate but related initiatives by the SSRC and the Mass. Lottery Commission, and the enthusiastic support of the Marshfield Fair Direc-tors, Grounds Crew and the Marshfield DPW, five tons of cardboard, bottles and cans from the Fair were recycled, and over seven tons of old lottery tickets were brought in by fairgoers and recycled. 

A grant from the Mass. DEP to the SSRC provided technical assistance by staffer Ann McGovern and 150 recycling carts and bins, which were placed next to trash receptacles for bottles, cans, paper and cardboard during the Fair.  Donations by Del Prete and Sons Trucking, Trojan Recy-cling, and Recycle Ameri-ca Alliance provided containers, transportation and processing of over four tons of cardboard, and nearly a ton, about 30,000,  bottles and cans.  SSRC Board members Merle Brown, Steve Herrmann, Bob Griffin, Nancy Kramer, Helga Jorgen-sen, and Al Scoglio were among the volunteers who

were crucial to the effort.

Vendors and exhibitors sepa-rated their cardboard, and some flattened it for efficient collection.  Thirty vendors were awarded “Super Recycler” ribbons for supe-rior participation.  The Marshfield Fair Grounds Crew received one of four “Recycling Champions” awards for “Hardest Working.”   Keeping five tons (eighty cubic yards) of recyclables out of the trash saved the Fair about $460 in disposal fees at the Marshfield Transfer Station, where the rest of the 45 tons of trash was disposed at a rate of $92/ ton.  “We are very pleased with our first recycling effort at the Fair,” said Carleton Chandler, the Marshfield Agricultural and Horticultural Society’s Secre-tary- Treasurer.  “We conserved natural resources, provided a great opportunity for public education about recycling, and led by example. We anticipate recycling these materials again at next year’s Fair and hope for even greater participation.”

   Even after putting in dozens of hours on her own time in oppressive heat, and needing several stitches in her chin after a cardboard recycling accident, DEP’s McGovern plans to volunteer to organize the recycling effort at Marshfield Fair next year.  “It was amazing to see how much was recycled and it was very rewarding to be part of such a cooperative effort. I hope we can build on this year’s success to recycle even more at next year’s Fair, and that

fairgoers will recycle even more at home because of their experience at Marshfield Fair.”

In an effort to reduce litter, the Mass. Lottery Commission offered “Instant Replay,” a lottery ticket recy-cling program.  Marshfield resident Dave O’Reilly headed up the effort, consulting with Sullivan during the planning process.   A free $1 ticket was given for every twenty used scratch cards turned in.  Fairgoers brought old tickets by the boxful, which added up to 7.2 tons that were recycled by EOMS of Brockton.

The SSRC Board voted to add participation in this effort to its Plan at the September meeting.   

Merle Brown, Bob Griffin, and  Steve Herrmann hold a volunteer "Recycling Ambassador" t-shirt

Bob Griffin, Ann McGovern, and Al Scoglio

with bin sticker

Mateo Reviews MSP

Sidi Mateo, SEMASS' Material Separation Plan Coordi-nator explained what mercury-related costs qualified for reim-bursement under the MSP at our August Board meeting.  She encouraged all qualified towns to submit mercury disposal bills for reimbursement.  The SSRC towns of Abington, Duxbury, Hanover, Hingham, Plymouth and Scituate have since received full reimbursement for their mercury disposal.

The latest version of the MSP is at DEP for approval, and includes new advertising materials about float switches, thermostats and the general program.  Residents may go directly to Onyx at SEMASS' expense if they have more than a few grams of mercury, to remove towns from the liability loop. Towns must contact Sidi at 508.291.4427, so safe and proper arrangements can be made.

The digital thermometer swap and Dunkin Donuts coupon programs are still running, and schools are eligible both for reimbursement and for replacement of mercury lab and fever thermometers with non-mercury alternatives.

ED Completing Site Visits

Over the summer, the Executive Director met with most SSRC solid waste managers at the Board’s request.  It was a valuable opportunity to check in with each town individually and in depth, and to introduce herself personally to some of our newer managers, including Ed Vickers in Dux-bury, Victor Diniak in Hanover, Paul Tomkavage in Marshfield, and Arthur Douylliez in Plymouth. 

SSRC towns have a wide range of needs and programs, but most meetings focused on reviewing contracts and services, including MSW disposal, C&D management, mattresses, brush and compost management, special wastes, paper, bottles and cans, and outreach assistance.  Holbrook, Hull and Whitman are considering or implementing new programs, so those meeting were more directed to advice and/or public presentations about funding options and waste reduction strategies.   She also used the site visits as an opportunity to gather data on vendors, haulers, and costs.  The ED will meet with the Norwell Board of Health in early October to wrap up the tour.

The ED considers herself very fortunate to work for such a friendly and dedicated group of professionals.

   

SSRC to Go on the Air

A trend toward more trash and less recycling prompted the SSRC to kick public outreach up a notch.  The Cooperative is partnering with American Ref-Fuel Company of SEMASS through the Material Separation Plan to put 5-60 second ads on two local radio stations, 95.9 FM WATD and 1300 AM WJDA, this fall.  SEMASS MSP Coordinator Sidi Mateo agreed to fund half the cost of the 53 spots, estimated at $1,145.

The ED has written ads extolling the financial and environmental value of participating in municipal recycling programs, educating about the hazards and management of mercury, explaining how to dispose of all different kinds of batteries, reminding residents to recycle computers, phones and other electronics, and promoting the South Shore Business Recycling Partnership.  Holbrook Selectman and SSRC Board rep Jeff Lowe offered to help the project out using his eighteen years of radio experience, which the Board gratefully accepted.  November 15 is America Recycles Day; we hope to run the ads throughout that month.

The SSRC has also applied for a DEP Municipal Recycling Grant for a broader media blitz around Earth Day in April.

Website Improvements

In response to numerous inquiries by confused residents, the ED has posted information on the Hazardous Waste page of ssrc.info about the proper disposal of sharps, smoke detectors, alkaline batteries, and both friable and non-friable asbestos.  She has also added a page, “SSRC In The News” with recent press releases.  Each member town also has a page that lists either details of that town’s recycling and hazardous waste collection programs or a link to the town’s own recycling page.

HHP Days Have a Wet Start

Hurricane Ivan forced the 9/18 Marshfield HHP collection to end at 1 pm instead of its planned 3 pm closing time, but it didn’t stop nearly 200 south shore residents from carting in their chemicals.  Clean Harbors chemists and us municipal checkers were pelted by wind and rain until the supervisor announced that the fiber containers couldn’t stand up to the extreme elements.  Folks who showed up after 1 are allowed to attend the other regional collections without paperwork, thanks to a flexible DPW staff. 

Mother Nature redeemed herself for Norwell’s collection the following week, a picture perfect day that served 105 happy residents, including a few Marshfield die-hards who swam in after 1:00 the week before.

SSRC Teams with Watershed Ass’n on Grants

The SSRC applied for consumer education mailers for any SSRC towns that neglected to do so through DEP’s Municipal Recycling Grant Program.  We also proposed a spring Media Blitz consisting of $4,500 worth of radio time to broadcast 6-60 second ads on 95.9 FM WATD, 1300 AM WJDA, and the powerful 99.1FM WPLM for a total of 126 minutes.  To reinforce the audio ads, the SSRC would run concurrent print ads in the local Mariners and Express papers.  The ads will cover general Recycling, Compos-ting, Resource Management, the South Shore Business Recycling Partnership, Battery Disposal, and Computer and Cell Phone Recycling.

DEP’s Grant Administrator Peggy Harlow directed Wendy Garpow of the North and South River Watershed Ass’n, a nonprofit organization that provides assistance to residents and officials of most SSRC member towns, to the SSRC when she inquired about applying for a recycling grant.  DEP Recycling grants are only available to municipalities, and the grant proposal to expand the association’s Greenscapes outreach program complemented many of our members’ compost programs.  Water quality is also an issue with which many of our managers are charged in addition to trash.  So with the assurance that we would not be competing with the NSRWA on our grant application, the SSRC sponsored their grant application to improve their fact sheets, including one on composting, run and televise citizen workshops, distribute a guide in regional newspapers, broadcast radio ads on WATD, and improve the already marvelous website www.Greenscapes.org. The goal is to reduce the need for water, fertilizer and pesticides.

Kibitzing at the SE MRC

A dozen southeastern Mass. Recycling Coordinators and service providers discussed topics ranging from paper markets to legislation at MassRecycle’s September Municipal Recycling Council meeting in Taunton.  The meeting was hosted by former MRIP Coordinator Kathi Mirza, whose new title is “Municipal Assistance Coordinator”, sponsored by Old Colony Scrap in Taunton, and chaired by SSRC Executive Director Claire Sullivan.  During the two and a half hours, participants shared information about the currently high value of paper and cardboard, the feasibility of recycling aseptic containers (i.e. juice boxes), what to do with fertilizer brought to HHP collections, the SSRC’s Marshfield Fair recycling program, using America Recycles Day as an outreach opportunity (see article below), and the reintroduction of the CRT Producer Takeback bill.

For membership and program information, go to MassRecycle’s newly designed website, www.massrecycle.org.            

Stephen V. Parker, 56, of Hudson, died Thursday, Aug. 26, 2004, after a tragic accident that occurred while digging a trench at his home. He was the Material Separation Plan Coordinator at Covanta Energy Corp. in Haverhill, and served as Director of the Special Waste Division of SWANA.  His packed memorial service was a fitting celebration of his life. 

SWANA Mass. Chapter has named its Scholarship fund after him.

Duxbury

Saves the Whales

The Duxbury DPW hosted a Lobster Rope Buyback to replace floating lines with whale-safe non-floating lines.  The two day event was sponsored by the International Fund for Animal Welfare in an effort to make Mass. coastal waters safer for whales. The North Atlantic right whale is one of the most endangered animals in the world – only about 300 remain - and one of the biggest threats to its survival is entanglement in floating fishing rope attached to lobster traps.  Dux-bury filled three roll-offs with 28 tons, or 455 miles, of old polypropylene rope.  IFAW expects to replace 220 tons of this kind of rope off the coast of Mass.

Hull Tables Muni Trash

   Volunteer Nancy Kramer and Sewer Dept. Bookkeeper JoAnn Rose, both SSRC Board reps, have been working for years to provide dropoff recycling and bring municipal curbside collection to Hull.  The town came a few steps closer to the latter this summer when a Request for Proposals prepared by Community Development Director Jay Szklut received four responses.  Waste Management got the contract, conditionally based on adequate resident interest.  The program would be funded through a base user fee for the service plus volume based unit pricing (PAYT).

After the cost was broken down based on various participation rates, the proposal was brought to the public in two forums this summer that were intended to explain the program and get feedback.  The ED and program proponents from Natick and Brockton, Terry Miller and Patrick Sullivan, spoke at the forums about the PAYT system, and Szklut explained the service. Szklut also designed a survey to determine cost thresholds, which was available online and sent out with the water bills.  Attendance at the forums was underwhelming, but response to the surveys was near 1000, about a third of Hull’s eligible households.  Unfortunately, the results from the survey were inconclusive. 

Town officials have determined that there is substantial interest in a municipal curbside trash program, but more input from residents, and education about the options are needed.  The next step is to appoint a committee of  residents to get a better sense of their needs and desires.  The ED will also offer alternative ideas.

Holbrook Selling PAYT Bags for 10/18 Start

   To make up for a $350K solid waste budget cut and pay for disposal, the Holbrook Board of Selectmen took the bull by the horns and voted to institute a Pay as You Throw system, set to begin on Oct. 18.  Special blue trash bags are available for purchase at seven retail outlets in town.  A bundle of ten 33-gallon bags costs $21, and ten 15-gallon bags cost $11.  BFI will not pick up trash if it is not in the special blue bags after 10/18.

 A citizen-initiated article on the October Special Town Meeting warrant seeks to reverse the decision.  However, another funding source would have to be identified, or municipal trash service eliminated.  Brockton, Scituate and Cohasset have introduced this unit based pricing system, which resulted in substantial reductions in the volume of trash, and increased recycling tonnage.

Diniak Takes Hanover

DPW Helm

Hanover tapped its own workforce to replace retiring Frank Cheverie as DPW Director, appoin-ting the Finance Committee’s Computer Program-mer Victor Diniak in August.  Diniak has served Hanover’s residents since 1982, including ten years as Chief Operator of the Water Treatment Plant.   -He will also assume Cheverie’s position on the SSRC Board, and intends to focus on long term planning.  

Frank’s official retirement date is October 8.  We appreciate his professionalism and good nature, as well as his contributions to Hanover’s DPW, the SSRC, COSC and the Plymouth County Highway Association. 

Marshfield, WM Negotiate Better Service

DPW Director Jeb DeLoach responded to Marshfield residents’ frustration with poor trash collection service by meeting with Waste Management’s John Cederquist in Sept..  The hauler agreed to add a fourth collection truck, and provided an after-hours phone number for residents to report missed pickups.  A team coordinator and route manager were also assigned to Marshfield, and will maintain close communication with the DPW. 

DeLoach reports that service and responsiveness have returned to an acceptable level since the Sept. meeting.  Marshfield’s collection contract expires next June.

Hingham Seeks RTS Supervisor

The Hingham DPW has an immediate opening for a Recycling Area /Transfer Station Supervisor.  Hours are Thurs-Sun, 6:30-5, plus overtime opportunities for snow removal.  Requirements include a CDL License and solid waste/ recycling experience.  The base salary is $808-1,018/ week. Send resumes to David Basler, Human Resources, Hingham Town Hall, 210 Central St., Hingham 02043.  For details, call DPW Director Joe Stigliani at 781-741-1430 .

Marshfield to Host Future District Coordinator

          To fill the gap left by the departure of the Boston and Southeast MRIP Coordinators, DEP has combined the positions into a single Municipal Assistance Program District Coordinator.  Although the Municipal Recycling Incentive Program was cut with the budget in FY03, the Coordinators have continued to provide valuable technical assistance to their municipalities.  The two positions had been hosted separately in Boston City Hall and at the Bourne ISWMF. 

DEP sought a more central location for the host entity, and the Marshfield DPW was willing and able to provide it.  With assistance from DEP, it will be responsible for advertising, interviewing and hiring the new coordinator, managing the payroll and providing office space and equipment.  Marshfield will receive a stipend to cover administrative costs.  The ED will also assist in the hiring process, which will begin soon.

SWMP Update Discussion Begins

The Mass. DEP was charged by the legislature with maintaining a Solid Waste Master Plan (MGL Ch 16, s 21).   The most recent update was completed in 2000, Beyond 2000 Solid Waste Master Plan.  Conditions have changed sufficiently since that time to invalidate some of the assumptions on which that plan was based, so DEP has determined that it is time to take another look at it to keep it relevant and realistic.  DEP’s Waste Planning Branch Chief John Fischer began discussions at the September Solid Waste Advisory Committee meeting.  A series of biweekly meetings will take place before the next regular SWAC meeting to develop recommendations for revising the Master Plan by November.    

The next meeting, on Oct. 6, will focus on two policy issues: Capacity as it relates to the No Net Import/Export policy, and Waste Reduction Goals and Strategies.  The next regular SWAC meeting will be on Nov. 16. 

Fischer also announced that the Solid Waste Fee increase that had been proposed last spring, then tabled until FY06, was not part of the FY06 budget at the time of the Sept. SWAC meeting.   However, there are still issues about how to fund DEP's solid waste programs given that program fees do not cover a significant portion of program costs.

Public hearings on amendments to 310CMR 19, which have been kicked around for a few years, generated 52 written and 16 oral comments.  Diverse views were expressed on many of the issues.  DEP is digesting them and will have a response to comments and final regulations later this year.  The bulk of comments included concerns about the negative impact of the new regs on disposal capacity and costs, the need to regulate waste generators, the exemption of waste combustors from the wood waste ban, and the inclusion of treated wood in the wood waste ban.

Celebrate America Recycles Day

          November 15, 2004 is the eighth annual America Recycles Day, an opportunity to recognize that when you recycle, “It All Comes Back to You”.  Check out their inspirational website, www.americarecyclesday.org

Conigliaro Industries is celebrating by having an "America Recycles Day Open House" at its Framingham plant on Monday, November 15, 10am – noon at 701 Waverly Street, Framingham.  Since 1990, Conigliaro Industries has recycled over 75 million pounds of material.  The Open House will include demonstrations of its mattress shredder, computer recycling operation, their own Plas-Crete "Block Lock System”, and proper road salt storage to protect the environment.   Refreshments will be served.  RSVP by November 10th to: Cynthia Conigliaro, (888) CONIG – 25; cynthia@conigliaro.com.  For directions, go to www.conigliaro.com/contact/directions.cfm.

 The Bourne ISWMF will also host an Open House, on Saturday, Nov. 20 from 9-noon, featuring tours of the landfill, recycling operation, and proposed residential recycling area, displays of equipment and baled material, and information on recycling and buying recycled. Call Phil Goddard at 508-759-0651.

The SSRC will be running a series of recycling related radio ads and press releases throughout  of November.  See related article, “SSRC to Go on the Air”.

The national program asks citizens to sign a pledge card promising to put more effort into recycling.  Pledge cards (available online or through DEP) are entered into a contest that offers a hybrid Ford Escape as a contest grand prize. 

DEP Consumer Waste Reduction Coordinator Ann McGovern will post local events that observe ARD, and can provide ideas and support materials. She suggests offering recycling at public events such as Harvest Festivals or "Town Days" as a great ARD activity, especially since it would reach "unconverted" audiences.  SSRC learned that public event recycling is not difficult and is a recycling activity whose time has come!

Look for information and sample downloadable pledge cards at www.mass.gov/dep/recycle.  Contact Ann at 617-292-5834 for information about support materials available for local events and outreach.