Rigid Plastic Recycling is Solid Hit

The transfer station is now recycling rigid plastics and, so far, it has been a solid hit.

Department of Public Works Ken Feeney said that, in the short time the program has been up and running, two and one-half loads of rigid plastics have been removed.

Recycling rigid plastics results in a savings to the environment as well as a savings to the town since it is two and one-half loads less that needs to be hauled to the incinerator, and the for hauling trash is $74.10 a ton versus recycling at $35 a ton.

A special area labeled “Clean Rigid Plastic Only” is located to the right of the large household trash building.

Casella Recycling has issued these guidelines:

Acceptable Plastics:

• All 1 and 5 gallon buckets with metal handles attached
• All plastic drums, totes & empty garbage cans (any size, with or without metal)
• Milk/soda crates, laundry baskets, lawn furniture
• Plastic toys and playhouses, children’s electronics, pet carriers
• Plastic pallets, shelving, coolers, closet organizers
• Plastic landscape and microwave trays, flower pots (no soil)

Non-Acceptable Components:

• Glass, metal, wood, paper, clothes, Styrofoam
• Poly-coated paper (orange juice and milk cartons)
• PVC pipe/tubing, vinyl siding
• Plastic film (grocery bags and stretch film)
• Flexible water hoses, hazardous material, medical waste
• Narrow-neck liquid containers, used mouthwash containers
• Small plastic containers (yogurt cups, PET/HDPE bottles, etc)
• No organic contamination