HomeMy WebLinkAbout1995-07-12 Solid Waste Advisory Committee MinutesSolid Waste Advisory Committee--12 July 1995, Selectmen's Meeting Room
Present: (Members) Bob Brown, Bob Cavicchi, Jean Krogh, Anne Mark, Martha Moore,
Sally, Sabo, Lynda Zarrow (Staff) Ruth Clay, Ted McIntire '
Current members greeted new members Bob Cavicchi and Jean Krogh. Welcome!
Ruth Clay led the annual committee reorganization. Martha Moore nominated Bob Brown
as chair of the committee; Bob Cavicchi seconded. Bob Brown was elected (6-0-1). Jean
Krogh nominated Sally Sabo as vice-chair of the committee; Martha Moore seconded.
Sally Sabo was elected (6-0-1).
The June minutes were approved as amended.
Guest speaker Douglas Turner demonstrated the Earth Machine (the second of the two
composting bins available under the DEP grant). He made the following points:
--The EM is a continuous composter (the Brave New Composter is a batch composter).
--The EM is a rigid, snap-together unit with a locking lid, a door that can be padlocked, a
floor (optional), and pegs (to secure it to the ground). It holds 11 cubic feet of material.
An instruction booklet is provided.
--Towns that sell both bins are selling 10-20 EMs for every BNC.
--The EM composts 500-1000 of yard/kitchen waste per year.
--When the EM is "fed" with 2-inch layers of carbon-containing materials and nitrogen-
containing materials, the materials reach a temperature of 140° within 24 hours. A 50150
mixture of carbon- and nitrogen-containing materials is crucial. It produces compost 10-20
times faster than an on-the-ground pile.
--EM can provide support materials for sale of the bins: posters, flyers, videos.
--The bins come stacked in 20s, wrapped in plastic, on a pallet.
--The EM is manufactured in Toronto. It is made of polyethylene; 50% is recycled plastic
from Massachusetts, transported to Toronto.
--Douglas recommends advertising the availability of the EM and then holding a 1-day sale
(just 2 hours--say, 8-10 a.m.; 98% of sales occur in first hour).
Ted asked Douglas to send a list of towns that have used both the EM and the BNC so that
we can investigate their experience with both models before choosing which to buy in the
next round. Lynda will help in making calls to the towns. Ted also asked why towns have
chosen the EM over the BNC. Douglas attributes the choice to (1) the EM's door (which
allows finished compost to be removed from the bottom of the pile without moving the
bin), (2) the bin's design, and (3) its solid plastic frame.
Bob B. collected 3/16 lb of button batteries this month; Lynda collected a small bag. Anne
had heard nothing so far about Wheelabrator's rechargeable battery collection program.
Anne had nothing to report from the June North Shore Regional Recycling Committee
(NSRRC) meeting. The next meeting will be in September; Jean would like to attend. Bob
B. reported that the Municipal Recycling Committee will meet in Millbury on 19 July and
that MassRecycle had sponsored a tour of Container Recycling Alliance.
Bob B. had material to add to the SWAC box in the library, on landfill mining and
computer recycling.
Anne had collected materials on waste reduction and recycling in small businesses. She
will make sure that these materials are current and find out whether anyof the organizations
that produce the materials (WasteCap, Buy Recycled Alliance, etc.) have speakers who
might come to a Chamber of Commerce meeting.
Jean asked about double-sided copying of SWAC packets. Ted stated that if the materials
(agendas, minutes, etc.) can be gathered early enough (Monday of the week before the
week of the meeting), they can be copied double-sided on the machine in Peter
Hechenbleikner's office.
Kay Clark, another applicant for membership on SWAC, was unable to attend the meeting
when the Selectmen made appointments to the committee. She may begin attending SWAC
meetings in the fall, however.
Anne reported that no subcommittee meeting was held in June regarding computer
recycling. Ruth noted that if computers were donated to the schools, they could not
subsequently be given away; they would have to go through the Town's auction of surplus
materials. She will check with the Town Counsel to see whether the computer swap that
SWAC was discussing would be OK.
Ted will meet with Richard Foley and Peter Hechenbleikner in the next two weeks to set up
the account into which the money from sales of the BNC will be deposited. The 50
computers from the current grant have arrived (some are also left over from last year's
order). Townspeople can currently buy the ones from last year's order for $32.56; after
the account is set up, all bins (last year's and this year's) will be sold for $20.
Ruth will call DEP to find out the status of the recycling flyer.
Reading, Stoneham, Wakefield, and Melrose are negotiating with Ogden-Martin fora new
trash disposal contract. Ted noted that the contract will arrive next week; after reviewing it
and comparing it with the RESCO contract, he will recommend one or the other to Peter
Hechenbleikner.
Ted reported that an RFP will be prepared for the Reading landfill-capping project.
Reading is on a list for possibly receiving $142 million worth of clay from the Central
Artery project, which would be used in capping the landfill.
Three of the unit pricing "goals" surveys were returned to Bob B. Others were filled out at
the meeting; the results will be discussed at the August meeting.
The contract for Town government paper recycling with Laidlaw has been terminated and a
new contract with Spiegel (part of Waste Management) has begun. This is a no fee/no
payment contract. Town Hail, the Public Library, and all schools except Parker will
participate. The Police and Fire Departments will also participate, for the first time. Trash
at Town Hail and the library has been halved since the start of the new contract, because
Spiegel collects more kinds of paper than Laidlaw.
Anne mentioned that EMARC (East Middlesex Association for Retarded Citizens) offers
paper recycling programs for small-quantity generators. This will provide employment for
EMARC clients. EMARC can arrange regular pick-up for institutional paper generators;
they hope to be able to allow individuals to drop off paper at their 1 General Ave. facility in
Reading (behind Frugal Fannie's). Contact person: Michael Berardo (944-5655).
Camille Anthony is the new SWAC liaison from the Board of Selectmen. In August the
committee will discuss inviting her to a future meeting.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:40 p.m. Anne Mark