Government

‘The Bottom Fell Out’: New Canaan Sees Steep Increase in Cost of Recyclables Disposal

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Saying a dramatic turn in the recyclables market is hitting the town, officials last week approved a $197,000 one-year contract with a Stamford company to haul and dispose of glass, plastic, paper and other materials discarded at the Transfer Station. The hauling of recyclables has “changed considerably in the last couple of years” due in part to a problem with glass that breaks in the single-stream system, so that where towns such as New Canaan “used to make a little bit of money,” they’re “now getting charged a lot of money to get rid of it,” according to Don Smith, assistant superintendent of solid waste with the Department of Public Works. “China is no longer taking it,” Smith told members of the Board of Selectmen at their Dec. 4 meeting, held at Town Hall. “They are just trying to find markets to get rid of it, and a lot of people don’t want it.”

The changing market is increasing New Canaan’s recycling costs by about five times, officials said.

Business

Town To Purchase 24 New Recycling Bins for Downtown, Public Areas

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Town officials on Tuesday morning voted in favor of the $10,000 purchase of 24 new green metal recycling receptacles in New Canaan. The town by state mandate must have a recycling receptacle for every garbage bin placed in a public area, according to Don Smith, assistant superintendent of solid waste with the New Canaan Department of Public Works. Yet as of this week, Smith said he had counted 31 garbage bins around New Canaan and “more than half do not have a recycling bin,” Smith told members of the Board of Selectmen at their regular meeting, held at Town Hall. The town is purchasing the two dozen “slatted body outdoor metal waste receptacles” from Port Jefferson, N.Y.-based Global Industrial. “They are gorgeous,” First Selectman Rob Mallozzi said.

Government

Town to Switch to Single-Stream Recycling July 1

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Starting July 1, the Department of Public Works will switch over to single-stream recycling for New Canaanites who drop off their recyclables at the Transfer Station at Lakeview Avenue. Many other towns in the Fairfield County area such Darien, Norwalk and Stamford have already switched to single-stream to make it easier on residents. New Canaan is now trying to do the same, officials say. Right now, residents sign on with private haulers to collect trash and (many) bring their own recyclables to the Transfer Station to sort them. In single-stream recycling, a contracted company could send a collection truck to pick up from a designated, distributed bin commingled paper, plastic, glass and other recyclable materials.