TOWN OF MANSFIELD
Solid Waste Advisory Committee
Minutes of the Meeting
February 12, 2004
Present: Gogarten (chair), Ames, Squires, McLaughlin, Knox, Smith, Hultgren (staff), Walton (staff)
The meeting was called to order by chair Gogarten at 7:30 p.m. The minutes of September 25, October 30 and November 13, 2003 were approved. Walton outlined her efforts to bring “green” building concepts to the Storrs Center project. She also updated members on Mansfield’s use of the Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility (7 businesses and 4% of households in 2003).
Hultgren reported that the multi-family contractor changeover was done on December 1st and thanks to Walton’s coordination it went quite well. He noted that the new contract will cost less per month than the old one. Walton said that the new contractor (Willimantic Waste) was much better to deal with than the previous contractor (Waste Management).
Hultgren said they have been monitoring bulky waste quantities at the transfer station since commercial bulky waste was excluded, but it was too soon to tell just how much of a reduction in bulky waste there will be. He said October had 80 tons, November 50 tons and December 38 tons, but winter weather skews the totals. The possibility of installing a scale at the transfer station to weigh and accurately charge for bulky waste was discussed.
Hultgren and Walton circulated the letter on the pre-paid bag proposal that was being sent to the Manager and Town Council. They suggested that the transfer station usage needed to be better understood before the proposal could be fairly considered, since most of the negative comments on the proposal were from “minimal” users. A discussion of how to obtain this information ensued. The consensus of those present appeared to be to require Town resident identification at the transfer station gatehouse and to issue a numbered windshield sticker to all transfer station users (while screening out non-Mansfield residents) on their first visit. For subsequent visits, their sticker number could be entered on the Town’s copy of their receipt, to be analyzed for quantity and frequency at a later date. Staff will develop this proposal for implementation this spring (pending appropriate policy approvals). There would be no cost to Town residents for the stickers issued at the transfer station.
Hultgren said that he had compared the cost savings on hauls to the cost of renting compaction equipment for refuse and cardboard at the transfer station and there would be an immediate cost savings and quick pay-back from the reduction in haul frequency. He said he was waiting for a second electrical quote and would have the compactors installed this spring.
Walton suggested that the Spring rid litter day be held this year on May 1st, which is the weekend after Spring Weekend. She said she was working to enlist help from UConn groups as well.
Walton circulated Keep America Beautiful promotional materials and a discussion of electronic recycling and scavenging was held. Most members agreed that electronics recycling should be monitored and if necessary regulated (by staff) so that unused, scavenged electronic components didn’t end up back in the waste stream as a pollutant. Staff will investigate this.
Walton circulated a CRC letter on the bottle bill (which apparently will be discussed again this year at the State Legislature) and announced that Mansfield was again on the DEP’s outstanding recyclers list in 2003.
The next meeting will be held in March or April, depending on business needs.
The meeting was adjourned at approximately 9:00 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Lon R. Hultgren
Director of Public Works
cc: Virginia Walton, Recycling Coordinator, Members, file, Town Manager, Town Clerk