In the recent article covering Greening Greenfield’s community conversation about proposed recycling changes because of a $2 million EPA grant, while we appreciate the front page coverage, some important facts were skipped that we feel residents need to hear [“Talk considers city’s recycling future,” Recorder, Nov. 1].
Yes, single stream recycling would require having our recyclable materials be driven twice as far, though the article did not mention the most likely ultimate destination of Berlin, Connecticut, nor the extra greenhouse gas emissions to double the driving distance.
The report also neglected to point out that single stream facilities cost more. In July through October of 2023 it was about $42/ton more, with single stream charging towns a net of from $103.08 to $110.49 per ton, (frequently more than trash) while our dual stream program cost us a high of $68.33 in August, and a low of $55.82 in October. This would be an extra $60,000 per year or more to give up taking materials to our current dual stream facility in Springfield.
The article does not mention that the Springfield Material Recycling Facility we currently deliver to for “dual stream” materials (containers kept separate from paper products) is owned by MassDEP and overseen by an advisory board made up of municipal and regional representatives. The single stream facilities are owned by private, for-profit entities who do not have this level of government oversight and cannot be claimed to have a town’s best interests at heart.
Just as Greenfield has Greenfield Light and Power, and thus saves residents a lot of money on electric bills because of that local control, and has GCET, which saves residents a lot of money on internet because of that local control, our regional Materials Recycling Facility in Springfield has local control and saves us a lot of money.
Why would we give that up? We don’t have to if we continue with dual stream recycling.
And while a city representative is quoted as saying single stream is “the future,” the article neglected to include the fact that nine municipalities in our region tried single stream and have gone back to dual stream since 2020: Cummington, Granby, Granville, Huntington, Ludlow, New Marlborough, Orange, Westhampton, and most recently Holyoke. These municipalities have put single stream in their past. Montague also recently declined to change to single stream.
For those of us in a part of the state and country to still have the option of a public, well-managed dual stream facility, there are cost advantages and, not unrelated, superior products created, that can yield better prices.
We can all agree that the cost of trucks and labor must be factored into decisions, but there was no mention of possible alternative collection methods, such as collection of paper products one week and containers another, as is done in Ludlow, for example. With larger containers, could collection be less frequent? A thorough analysis needs to be performed and shared.
The article never mentioned the EPA grant guidance that “community concerns will be considered in the decision-making process, and decision makers will seek out and facilitate the involvement of those potentially affected.”
Instead, the city is quoted saying they will launch a public education and enforcement effort with the assistance of the three-year project assistant to be funded by the grant. But, public education about what has been decided is not a substitute for working with the public to make these decisions that will affect our habits and pocketbooks into the future.
The grant has been approved, but not “awarded.” The EPA has already agreed to make changes to the contract that will allow the city to choose between dual stream and single stream.
Now that the election has confirmed there will be new city councilors and a new mayor, and now that the EPA has agreed to let the grant have the flexibility we need, let’s all work together to make the best recycling decisions we can for implementing this wonderful grant.
Peg Hall is a member of Greening Greenfield and a retired municipal department head and solid waste and recycling consultant.