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SHERBORN RECYCLING COMMITTEE

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

The 217^th meeting of the Recycling Committee was held at the Town Hall on Wednesday, April 16, 2008 at 4:30 p.m.

Present: Carol Rubenstein (chair), Andrea Brennan, Ron Buckler, Ardys Flavelle, and Karl Ludwig.

Not Present:  Susan Higley, Jack Mulhall, Susan Peirce, Jane Pusch, Jennifer Stone and Peggy Weber.

I.        Minutes of the March Meeting were approved.

            Thank you’s:

·        Jane for her work on the Natick Collection Recycling Initiative

·        Jennifer for her work at the Middle School 

·        Andrea for her continuing work on the welcome bins

·        Andrea for her work getting the Swap Shop open

II .Announcements, Old and New Business

1. Carol noted that our minutes have given the incorrect fiscal year since August 2007 – they have FY07 instead of FY08.

VOTE: The Committee voted unanimously to amend the minutes since August 2007 with the correct fiscal year – FY08.

2. Carol told the Committee that the DEP postcard is expected to be delivered to the Post Office around April 15.
3. The Committee discussed the upcoming Earth Day festivities planned for the Natick Collection.  Volunteers are needed.  Ardys suggested using mannequins for displays and investigating the possibility of face painting.
4. The Committee discussed the upcoming Town Spring Clean-Up Day and the Transfer Station Cleanup, which are scheduled for the same weekend – May 3-4.  Carol has submitted press releases.  We need volunteers for the Transfer Station Cleanup; Carol will contact the Sherborn Boy Scouts.
5. Carol initiated a discussion of phone recycling for charity.  Currently we recycle cell phones in a 50-phone box but now have the possibility of distributing plastic mail-in bags to residents and still getting the money credited to our program.  Some Committee members thought that this would increase the rate of cell phone recycling, but there were also concerns that the bags would be lost by people after they were taken home.
6. The Committee discussed paying for paper recycling pickup by Ruane & Father at Pine Hill for the remainder of this fiscal year.  The current vendor insists on using dumpsters which are difficult to fill from heavy toters loaded with recycled paper.  The cost is $15/week until June 30.

VOTE:  The Committee voted to fund the pickup of paper recycling at Pine Hill until the end of the fiscal year. Ron abstained from the vote.

7. Carol announced that the final check from Kiducation had arrived and been cashed.  The Kiducation box has now been removed and the Bay State Textile trailer has arrived.
8. Carol noted that she had cancelled her meeting with the Board of Selectmen because she has learned that we are still being charged for the disposal of refrigerators, dehumidifiers and monitors.  The vendor is going to stop charging for refrigerators and other Freon-containing appliances.  Computers currently go to CRTR for free.  They will also take peripherals free but charge for CRT tubes.  Andrea has heard of a charitable program that collects computer peripherals for $5.
9. The Committee discussed the status of the new shelter at the Transfer Station – Ron Jantzen did the final construction work.  The painting is complete and the phone should be installed tomorrow.
10. Carol updated the Committee on the Letter to Event Organizers – she has sent out approximately 40 letters.
11. The Committee discussed finding better tops for the public spaces recycling containers.  Carol and Ron have been seeing better tops around.
12. The privacy aspects of allowing computers left at the Transfer Station to be taken by others was discussed.  It was decided that people could take computers, but that the Committee should put out a sign warning people dropping computers off that they should be cleaned of personal information.
13. Ardys reported on recycling at DSMS.  She noted the need for improving school event recycling and better collaborations with the Dover Recycling Committee, with which she has been in contact.  There is currently discussion of going to single stream recycling at the Regional Schools.  Carol will email Kerry O’Brien of the Dover Recycling Committee about planning for recycling at school events.
14. Tonnage report:

      In March –

                  Refuse: 12 trips to Millbury – same as in February and tonnage is up.

                  Paper: 8 trips – 1 more than last month and tonnage is down.

                  Commingled: 5 trips – 3 more than last month and tonnage is up.

                  Overall fiscal year rate is 31.6% this month, up slightly from 31.5% last month.

• Please call Carol  (508-653-8794)  if you are going to be  absent from a meeting

• Recruit new members 

Next Meeting – May 14 at 4:30 pm at the Town Hall.   Future meetings: June 11, Aug. 13.

Recent Recycling Center statistics:

Respectfully Submitted,

Karl Ludwig – Secretary for April 2008