• Home
  • News
  • Obituaries
  • Police & Fire
  • Sports
  • Education
  • Business
  • Real Estate
  • Advertise
  • Town
    • Westborough
    • Shrewsbury
    • Northborough
    • Marlborough
    • Hudson
    • Southborough
    • Grafton
  • Print Edition
Sign in
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Password recovery
Recover your password
Search
Tuesday, August 16, 2022
  • Events
    • Ongoing
  • Contact us
Sign in
Welcome! Log into your account
Forgot your password? Get help
Password recovery
Recover your password
A password will be e-mailed to you.
Community Advocate news and events Community Advocate
  • Shrewsbury
  • Westborough
  • Northborough
  • Southborough
  • Grafton
  • Marlborough/Hudson Edition
  • Home
  • News
  • Obituaries
  • Police & Fire
  • Sports
  • Education
  • Business
  • Real Estate
  • Advertise
  • Town
    • Westborough
    • Shrewsbury
    • Northborough
    • Marlborough
    • Hudson
    • Southborough
    • Grafton
  • Print Edition
Gillespie Real Estate Agent
How can the Community Advocate help you promote your business?
Print Ads
Web Ads
Digital Marketing
Home Byline Stories - News Westborough selectmen learn about new trash and recycling program
  • Byline Stories - News
  • Westborough

Westborough selectmen learn about new trash and recycling program

By
Community Advocate
-
August 25, 2016
223
Facebook
Twitter
Email

    By Melanie Petrucci, Contributing Writer

    Westborough – Public Health Director Steven Baccari and Irene Congdon, recycling coordinator from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (Mass DEP), gave a presentation detailing a proposed program called SMART (Save Money and Reduce Trash) to the Westborough Board of Selectmen at its Aug. 23 meeting. A committee was convened over a year ago to study the issue of low recycling rates in Westborough.

    The presentation covered the trash/recycling issue, an overview of SMART, grants that are available, and current versus proposed budget. Westborough has one of the highest trash rates in central Massachusetts. The town generates over 2,100 pounds per household per year. The average is 1,300 pounds per household. Only about 14 percent of what is in the trash is actual trash. Electronics, hazardous waste, metal, paper and plastic makes up the rest and could be recycled.

    Material management goals are to provide a town-wide uniform curbside trash and recycling program, reduce trash, provide convenience for all residents and a more equitable fee based on amount of trash disposed. SMART operates like a utility with unit-based pricing that promotes recycling and is widely used throughout the commonwealth. How much you use is how much you pay. Currently there is no real recycling incentive at the transfer station. According to presenters, SMART is effective, equitable, environmentally friendly and economical.

    The current solid waste system is a combination of drop off at a transfer station and curbside through a contract with Tidy Town at 5,276 tons. With the proposed plan there would be weekly curbside trash collection in approved bags which will cost $1 or $2. Current recycling is every other week with Tidy Town or drop off.  Under the new plan recycling would be every other week curbside at a combined savings of approximately $244,000.

    The Sustainable Material Recycling Program (SMRP) from the state offers one-time grants and yearly grants to help communities reach their goals of trash reduction and recycling increase. This program is funded by renewable energy tax credits.

    Board of Selectmen Chair Ian Johnson and Selectman Denny Drewry thanked Baccari and Congdon for their presentation. More study and a public hearing will be the next steps in advancing this initiative.

    • TAGS
    • Denny Drewry
    • Ian Johnson
    • Irene Congdon
    • mass dep
    • Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection
    • Westborough Board of Selectmen
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Email
      Previous articleWestborough Board of Selectmen approve filming in downtown
      Next articleDavid F. Holder, 96, of Hudson
      Community Advocate

      RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

      Featured News

      Developer proposes townhomes near Westborough District Court

      Featured News

      Three Westborough Boy Scout leaders receive annual awards

      Featured News

      Westborough and Northborough girls compete at Weightlifting Youth Nationals

      Featured News

      Three-vehicle crash on Mass. Turnpike leads to delays

      Featured News

      Select Board awards ARPA funds for splash pad in Westborough

      Featured News

      Two injured in crash on Rt. 9 in Southborough

      Follow Us

      Sign Up For Our Newsletter


      RECOMMENDED VIDEOS

      Hudson

      Hudson Post 100 wins the Chairman’s Cup

      Laura Hayes - August 16, 2022
      0
      Obituaries

      Roland J. Laferriere, 90, of North Grafton

      Community Advocate - August 16, 2022
      0
      Obituaries

      Chinhuei Yeh, 57, of Shrewsbury

      Community Advocate - August 16, 2022
      0
      Obituaries

      Richard B. Dymek, 90, retired Westborough School Administrator and Middle School Principal

      Community Advocate - August 16, 2022
      0

      POPULAR

      Hudson Post 100 wins the Chairman’s Cup

      August 16, 2022
      Roland J. Laferriere

      Roland J. Laferriere, 90, of North Grafton

      August 16, 2022
      Chinhuei Yeh

      Chinhuei Yeh, 57, of Shrewsbury

      August 16, 2022
      Richard B. Dymek

      Richard B. Dymek, 90, retired Westborough School Administrator and Middle School...

      August 16, 2022

      Shrewsbury celebrates grant for shared-use path at Jordan Pond

      August 15, 2022
      community advocate logo
      ABOUT US

      The Community Advocate is an independently owned newspaper with a legacy of over 40 years serving the communities of Westborough, Hudson, Marlborough, Northborough, Shrewsbury, Southborough and Grafton. It is also the number-one circulated paper in those communities. We cover a wide variety of breaking news, municipal issues, human interest features and sports stories.

      For Advertising Inquiries:
      [email protected]

      For editorial inquiries:
      [email protected]

      Contact us: [email protected]
      FOLLOW US
      • Events
        • Ongoing
      • Contact us
      © Community Advocate. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy