TOWN OF MANSFIELD
Solid Waste Advisory Committee
Minutes of the Meeting
June 30, 2009
Present: Smith, Knox (acting chair), Roberts, Ames,
Hultgren (staff), Walton (staff)
Visitors:
Bob Coughlin, Caitlin Dineen (Chronicle reporter)
The
meeting was called to order at 7:37 p.m.
The
minutes of the January 22, 2009 were approved.
Walton
reported that the first meeting of the sustainability committee was June 23,
2009. The committee’s first task is to research model sustainable communities
and benchmarking tools.
Walton
reported that she and Mr. Coughlin toured the new single stream sort equipment
at Willimantic Waste Paper on June 2, 2009. All recyclables they receive,
whether collected dual stream or single stream, are being put through the single
stream equipment. The bales of paper were free of contaminants, and, according
to Willimantic Waste Paper, the receiving Canadian mills have not given any
negative feedback.
At the
state capitol, the bottle bill expansion passed to include water bottles. The
five cent fee for retail paper and plastic bags did not pass. Staff will
follow-up with information on how the Westport, CT bag ban is proceeding.
Walton
stated that all grades of plastic containers can now be recycled because the
new Willimantic Waste Paper equipment has an optical plastic sorter. Staff will
be notifying residents of the plastics recycling expansion.
Walton
reported that about 4 tons of usable household items were collected and
dispersed to local charities during UConn’s move-out,
“Give and Go”. The individuals she worked with were hard working, organized and
represented key departments of the University. This first year experience was
considered a success.
Walton
gave an update on blight/litter issues. She worked with student volunteers on
three community service days, with mixed success. The committee recommended
signing up for one service day this fall. She has inspected rental properties
immediately after trash service is discontinued before the renter service
deposit is returned, which has prevented a few problems. This year Walton will
work with UConn off campus housing through their
community student leaders to enlist student Adopt-A-Road volunteers.
Hultgren
stated that the recommendation to simplify the single-family service levels had
not yet been presented to Town Council due to the poor economy. Walton stated
the number of 50 gallon cans being used for service is on the increase. The
committee agreed to wait until the economy brightens to address can size and
removing bag equivalence from the Solid Waste Regulations. However, staff will
remove the bag equivalence from the brochure to make the service levels clearer
for new sign-ups and to recommend to Town Council an increase in the in-yard
fees to cover the Town’s cost.
Walton
reported that an E.O. Smith student group, the Green Teens, received a $10,000
grant to start a school composting program. Walton met with them, the
supervising teacher and the maintenance director this week to pick a compost
bin location. The Green Teens will work with the summer school shop class to
build the compost bins, using the elementary schools’ design. They hope to have
it ready for the start of school.
Hultgren reviewed Willimantic Waste
Paper’s proposal to end the Eastern Connecticut Paper contract one year early
in order to enter into a single stream contract. After comparing the costs and
revenue of the current Eastern Connecticut Paper contract to the single-stream
contract, the committee recommended changing to the single-stream contract.
Staff will take their recommendation to the next Town Council meeting. There
was discussion about the implications of single-stream on collection.
Willimantic Waste Paper has suggested that the transfer station use a compactor
for the cans, bottles, paper cardboard grouping in order to reduce hauling
costs. Staff will look into this possibility. Mayo and Sons, the single-family
contractor, has expressed concerns about the littering of paper as it is dumped
into the truck if it is no longer bagged or tied. Staff will focus publicity on
how to secure it, tie it or cover it. Staff will find out if broken glass will
now be acceptable. Walton stated that Holinko Estates
would be interested in piloting the use dumpsters for the single-stream sort.
Mid-NEROC is now offering one-day
satellite household hazardous waste collections. For the cost of $1,200,
participating towns may take advantage of an in-town hazardous waste
collection. The committee did not recommend doing this since Mansfield is
relatively close to the Willington facility.
Walton will be contacting members this
summer to arrange volunteer coverage for one of the Festival on the Green’s
waste stations. The Festival is scheduled for September 13, 2009.
The next scheduled meeting is scheduled
July 23, 2009, if it is not cancelled. The meeting after that would be
September 24. The meeting was adjourned at 9:10 pm.
Respectfully Submitted,
Virginia Walton
Recycling/Refuse Coordinator
Cc: Lon R. Hultgren, Director of
Public Works, Members, file, Town Manager, Town Clerk