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Keep Charlton Beautiful says DEP recycling dividend nearly doubled; promotes pay-as-you-throw and transfer‑station access
Summary
At the Sept. 16 Board of Health meeting, the Keep Charlton Beautiful committee told the board its DEP recycling points—and accompanying dividend—have increased substantially, and outlined outreach about the town’s pay‑as‑you‑throw option and household hazardous waste coordination with neighboring towns.
Keep Charlton Beautiful representatives briefed the Town of Charlton Board of Health on Sept. 16 about a stronger showing in the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) recycling dividends program and ongoing outreach about the town’s pay‑as‑you‑throw option.
Deb, a committee member who presented the update, said the committee’s DEP point total has risen each year and that the group expects to receive “around $6,500,” nearly double what it received last year. She told the board the money is used to support recycling, anti‑littering and beautification work in Charlton.
The committee highlighted the town’s agreement allowing residents to use the Spencer Transfer Station as part of the pay‑as‑you‑throw program. Speakers said residents who use the Spencer facility must obtain a sticker and buy designated trash bags sold at several stores; the meeting record lists a $75 annual transfer‑station sticker (valid July 1–June 30) and a $10 day pass available at the Spencer Water Department, and committee members characterized pay‑as‑you‑throw bags as costing in the neighborhood of $3–$5 per bag.
Committee members said membership in the town’s pay‑as‑you‑throw program remains modest—about 80–90 households—but noted the program raised the town’s DEP point total significantly because of the kinds of material residents can bring to the transfer station. The group encouraged broader awareness, saying it will continue distributing leaflets and is planning a short explanatory video at the Spencer Transfer Station to show residents how to use the facility.
Keep Charlton Beautiful also described efforts to coordinate household hazardous waste (HHW) collection. The committee said it hopes Charlton will join a North Brookfield HHW event in November and noted the town previously set aside about $3,000 in the municipal budget for vouchers that could offset resident costs for disposal or event participation.
The committee meets the second Monday of each month at the Charlton Public Library, 4:30–5:30 p.m., and invited interested residents to contact the town office or the committee via the town website.
