I joined in with the Waste Management team for one of the last Audits of our Recycling IQ program in Fitchburg this morning! Since the resale market for many recyclables have dropped to near zero--- Recyclers have been forced to up standards and levels of contamination in our recycling. Fitchburg was charged $175K last year due in part to the high levels of contamination in our recycling.
I am waiting on the results of our audit... but the numbers look like we are IMPROVING! They 'measure' the amount of contamination by percentage trash vs recycling in LBS (Pounds baby...pounds)... so the percentage started at 79% trash to recycle in April....and we are down to about 45% trash to recycle in November! I also took a bunch of videos...so I'll post that in a bit... and I also have some info on PIZZA BOXES I am awaiting the final word on....
at TONIGHT's city council meeting the reps from WM will be there to TRASH-TALK and answer questions.... so if you have any questions you'd like me to ask...let me know here and I'll try to answer or get them answered =)
New Recycling news for PIZZA BOXES
As noted in Thursdays Council meeting per presentation by Waste Management--- we have a new Universal Recycling list as approved by Mass DEP.
A few notes of recycling:
Yes---Clean Pizza Boxes (grease ok but no food residue)
Yes- Plastic bottles, jars, tubs and lids, Clear plastic egg cartons
No---Plastic Bags of any kind
No--Plastic Film, bubble wrap etc.
No--Prescription Bottles, nips,take out cartons
**See list for more
