In last week's Insider on pay-as-you-throw, coming to Concord July 6, we invited readers to submit questions about the program. We compiled your queries and sent them to Pat Winn, solid waste programs manager, and Chip Chesley, director of General Services.
One question not answered is whether we may put the purple bags in trash cans. Many of us are concerned about animal scavengers.
Yes, residents will be allowed to place purple bags into trash cans. There shouldn’t be any loose trash in the trash can. The bag should be tied closed.
You state, “You’ll still need to separate paper and cardboard from other recyclables.” Since last fall, BestWay has gone to single stream mixed recycling. Is this being changed now?
Curbside is currently dual stream (fiber – cardboard, paper separate from containers) and will remain dual stream with pay-as-you-throw. The city’s transfer station, located at 77 Old Turnpike Road, has a single-stream recycling drop-off center.
Is wax paper recyclable? Not just off the roll but inside cereal and cracker boxes?
Wax paper is not a recyclable material.
What is going to happen to the purple bags? Are they recyclable or is more plastic going to end up in landfills?
City of Concord trash is disposed of at the waste-to-energy plant operated by Wheelabrator in Penacook. The energy generated from combusting the region’s waste is used to generate electricity. None of the city’s trash goes to a landfill. The bags are made up of about 30 percent recycled material.
What do the elderly who are incontinent do with their paper diapers?
The waste in the diaper should be removed (flushed) before placing the diaper in the purple bag.
The city’s several web pages, I count at least five of them, say in some places that residents have to separate paper and cardboard from other recyclables and at another place that they can single stream recyclables, without differentiating between curbsiders and apartment/condo dwellers. This is mighty confusin’. What is the truth (the whole truth)?
Multifamily residential properties (those properties with eight units or more) will continue to use Dumpsters for their trash and single-stream recycling containers for their recyclable materials. Due to the density and layout of these multi-family properties, it is more efficient and cost effective to place larger recycling containers to service a larger number of residents rather than have each residence have a smaller bins like the curbside collection program. The residential curbside recycling program will continue to be dual stream.
What do you do when a container, especially a plastic container, is recyclable but the cap or lid is not and is not detachable?
If the cap or lid doesn’t come off easily, put the whole item into recycle container.
What do you do with junk mail envelopes that have those transparent address windows?
Junk mail, letters, etc., are accepted with the plastic window.
Will I still be able to put out big cardboard boxes, such as boxes from things like a vacuum cleaner, dehumidifier, whatever?
Cardboard currently needs to be broken down into a 3-by-3 pieces, and that procedure will continue after July 6.
Are milk containers recyclable?
Milk containers should be lightly rinsed before being recycled.
Can you recycle aluminum trays? (These ones are from old refrigerators.)
Not with the curbside program. The transfer station would put that into a metal recycle container.
Not that I would do this, but if I throw out something that is deemed recyclable, will someone be going through my purple bag(s) to see that I’m adhering to the new rules? Would a purple bag be left uncollected if it had recyclable items in it?
Recycling is not mandatory in Concord; no one will go through the purple bags looking for recyclable material.
Will the transfer station consider adding evening hours at least one night? Except for Saturdays, their hours are unrealistic for the majority of working folks.
The city’s transfer station is operated by a vendor. We will explore this option with the vendor.
I have not seen any discussion of trash compactor bags in your reports of pay-as-you-throw. It seems they are about the same size as the 15-gallon purple bags. But are the 15-gallon purple bags manufactured in the correct shape to fit into my compactor?
The 15- or 30-gallon bag should hold a standard compactor bag; the problem will occur if the weight of the compactor bag exceeds the weight limit of the purple bag.
What do you do with clam shells and lobster shells? Can they be recycled somehow?
The shells would not be considered a recycle material with the city curbside recycle program. Residents can put that material into the purple pay-as-you-throw bag.
Can diapers and sanitary napkins be recycled?
No, this material would be placed in the purple city trash bag.
Orange juice and creamer cartons contain both plastic and paper. How should these be sorted?
If the container has any plastic or material in it, that item would be considered co-mingle container.
My paper shredder empties into a plastic bag. Can I put the plastic bag with the shreds in the recycling bin?
The bag would have to be clear, so that the contents are easily identified as recyclable material.
Are there discounts on the purple bags for seniors or low-income residents?
Along with other services provided by the city’s human services department, the city will may make bags available to those who have demonstrated economic hardship.
Can you recycle textiles and fabric?
The city is looking into options to possibly placing a container at the transfer station to accept old clothing.
Can you recycle empty paint cans?
Not with the city curbside program. I would suggest calling the store where the paint was purchased.
Still have questions? E-mail news@theconcordinsider.com or leave a comment and we’ll see if we can track down an answer. For more information on pay-as-you-throw, visit onconcord.com.
