The Franklin County Solid Waste Management District is again collaborating with the towns of Leverett, Montague, Northfield and Warwick to hold special recycling collections for blocky Styrofoam packing material on three Saturdays in April.
The free collection events will take place on April 11, 18 and 25, from 9 a.m. to noon at the four towns’ transfer stations, which are located at 5 Cemetery Road in Leverett, 11 Sandy Lane in Turners Falls, 31 Caldwell Road in Northfield and on Garage Road in Warwick. The events are only open to residents of Leverett, Montague, Northfield and Warwick, though a transfer station permit is not required.
These special recycling collections will only accept white blocky packing material and coolers made of expanded polystyrene foam, commonly known as Styrofoam. To meet these specifications, volunteers at the collection sites will review the materials that each resident brings and may reject unacceptable items.
The Franklin County Solid Waste Management District advises that foam items must be clean and dry. Residents will need to remove any tape, labels, cardboard or wood.
The collection events will not accept food-related Styrofoam items such as cups, plates, bowls, trays, egg cartons or takeout containers. Other items that will not be accepted include wet/dirty materials, low-density polyethylene (LDPE) foam packaging material, foam insulation board (XPS) or packing peanuts. However, the district advises that the UPS Store in Greenfield accepts clean, dry packing peanuts for reuse.
Advance registration is not required, but space is limited and may run out. The collection events are held on a first-come, first-served basis.
This marks the fifth annual Styrofoam collection. At previous events, the four towns together diverted 170 cubic yards of foam from the landfill. Collected materials are recycled at Gold Circuit E-Cycling in Agawam. According to the Franklin County Solid Waste Management District, the foam is densified and recycled into picture frames, molding or building insulation. MI-BOX Moving & Storage supports the project with discounted rates.
For more information, email info@franklincountywastedistrict.org or call 413-772-2438.