Here is a recap of Brookline’s top ten trash and recycling stories for the past year:
1. HPAYT (June 2017)
13,200 Brookline households converted to black waste carts for weekly discards. The hybrid pay-as-you-throw program brings more efficiency to trash collection and better reflects the true cost of disposing of trash – bringing savings to those who throw out less.
2. China’s “National Sword” initiative (September 2017)
The People’s Republic of China, upset over contamination in recyclables sent from the USA and other countries, pulled import licenses causing prices for used paper, cardboard, and metal and plastic containers to plummet. And municipal costs for recycling went sky high.
3. Composting at Brookline High (June 2017)
Brookline’s largest restaurant, the BHS cafeteria, began composting of food and paper waste. During the month of November alone, students diverted over three tons!
4. Pink bags (April 2017)
The town contracted with Simple Recycling, Inc. to offer a convenient way for residents to repurpose no-longer-needed clothes, textiles, and homegoods. Pink bags should be placed at curbside.
5. Purple over flow bags (June 2017)
Residents can take responsibility for the true cost of disposing of their extra trash with $3 purple overflow bags. They are available at local stores.
6. Contamination in blue carts (2017)
Inspectors renewed efforts to make sure residents follow guidelines for recycling. And most residents responded by keeping plastic bags, foam, food, dog waste and other contaminants out of their blue carts.
7. Southbridge Landfill to close (August 2017)
As the landfill nears capacity and struggles with leakage from its previous iteration, we increasingly went back to burning Brookline trash in the SEMASS waste-to-energy plant in Rochester.
8. HHP Drop-Off (October 2017)
Residents made over 1,248 trips to properly dispose of household hazardous products at the HHP Drop-Off between May 1 and Oct. 31.
9. New members (January 2017)
In a purge the scale of which has not been witnessed since the Presidium changes of 1957, the Solid Waste Advisory Committee lost three long-time members and added four new ones. Thanks to Cynthia Snow, Amie Lindenboim and Barbara Field. Welcome to Kathleen O’Connell, Mary Litterst, John Shreffler and Deane Coady.
Thanks for helping municipal solid waste work in Brookline!
Reminders:
Yard Waste collection is over until Monday, April 2, 2018.
“Naked” Christmas trees will be collected at curbside until Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2018.
You know the drill: Remove trees from those big plastic bags. Thanks!
For more information on sanitation, recycling and hazardous waste, visit here.
