Composting into Cash
by Judith Doherty Chairperson of SWAT
Did you know that organic materials make up 50% of our household wastes? (Department of Environmental Protection). Granted, yard clippings, can't be tossed in the trash legally anyway, but most leftovers, (except meat and dairy products) can stay OUT of our trash buckets and go in our soil and save serious bucks. Whether you are a gardener, an environmentalist, or simply someone who likes healthy trees and shrubs on your landscape, try devoting a container under your kitchen sink to compost. I've been shocked by the weight of the veggie and fruit peelings! In fact, studies show each bag of trash weighs on average 25 lbs.! My mom used to sprinkle bread crumbs for the birds and toss coffee grounds
under plants. These ideas help nature and save money. A compost pile need not be complicated. I devoted a corner of my year to organic materials a few years ago and now I can turn the stuff to reveal loads of worms plus dark soil.
Dollars & Sense -- Given the heated discussion in our towns about budget cuts, here are a few more ways to generate income and save wasted spending. Currently W. Boylston's recycling rate is averaging 22%. That's improved from last year! In 2007 townspeople generated "2645.3 tons of waste: only 527.7 was recycled and 2117.6 was trash," (John Westerling, DPW head). We paid out $163,086 just to dump that trash in 2007! (Total trash removal costs include collection costs and tipping fees, close to $400,000). "If we are in a budget crisis why are we still putting our junk mail, milk jugs, water bottles, cans and glass jars into the trash?" asks Janet Vignaly West
Boylston resident. Compare $76 per ton in tipping fees to dispose of trash to ZERO to dispose of recyclables.
When I see some residents putting out 8 bags of trash and no recyclables I ask myself, 'Is that fair?' I also ask "Why not?" Answers I get vary from: "I don't believe recycling actually gets separated by haulers" to "It's messy" or "It smells." How might we address these barriers together, so we can put more money into town services?
The Solid Waste Advisory Team has been studying recycling data from other MA towns. We've learned that towns with Pay as You Throw programs get their recycling rates up to near 50%. Could we get there voluntarily by paying close attention to what we consume and where we toss?
Upcoming: Saturday April 26th at 9AM folks will gather for the Wachusett Reservoir Clean-up.
Call 508-853-0962 if you want to help.
Our next SWAT meeting is May 13th at 7PM at the West Boylston Town Offices. All are welcome. Our trash hauler, Allied Waste, is sending a representative to answer questions about trash, recycling, mandatory recycling bylaws and how enforcement could work if the townspeople decided to try it.
| 
