Planet New Canaan representatives told the New Canaan Conservation Commission on Jan. 9 that the group is ready to begin a redeemable-can collection at the town transfer station and is finalizing details on a storage container and pickup logistics.

The proposal would place an enclosed container near the book bins and swap shop at the transfer station to hold bags of redeemable containers until iRecycle, the vendor, collects them. "We need to we have the money set aside, and we just need to finalize the option for the appropriate shed or container," Planet New Canaan representative Katie Owsley said. She said the group intends to roll the program out slowly and educate users so people do not leave nonredeemable items in the container.

Why it matters: The program is designed to capture refundable beverage containers and keep them in the food-grade recycling stream while generating revenue for local groups. Owsley said a comparable program at another town collected about $12,000 a year before the refund rose from 5¢ to 10¢; with the higher refund, she said the same volume would be worth roughly $24,000.

Details: Planet New Canaan has examined container sizes and said many available sheds start at 8 feet wide; the space next to the book bins measures about 5 feet. The group plans to store roughly 30 iRecycle bags inside the shed; iRecycle will pick up when volunteers call after a pickup threshold is reached. Owsley said Planet New Canaan and its youth board would choose local beneficiaries for the vendor checks, naming examples including the high-school choir and the town land trust.

Rollout and policing: The commission and Planet New Canaan agreed on a cautious, phased launch. Owsley said the shed would be open only during swap-shop hours at first and that volunteers would manage the bags and monitor misuse. Commission members raised concerns about people dumping nonredeemable items and glass; Owsley said glass and other nonredeemable materials would continue to be accepted in the regular recycling areas at the top of the transfer station.

Next steps: Planet New Canaan will finalize the container size and place the order; Lars Anderson and Tom Herman will serve as on-site point people for shelving and layout. The commission did not set a formal deadline but discussed working around delivery schedules and weather.