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Selectmen approve SCARA cylinder-collection agreement to remove small gas cylinders from waste stream
Summary
The board approved a contract to join a SCARA extended-producer program to collect small metal cylinders (propane, helium) in 55-gallon drums for contractor recycling; town staff said the program imposes minimal cost while reducing safety risks from cylinders entering solid-waste systems.
Public Works presenter Gary explained a model agreement endorsed by the Southeastern Connecticut Regional Resource Recovery Authority (SCARA) that lets manufacturers fund collection and recycling of small metal cylinders. "All of SCARA's member towns... have these agreements," Gary said, describing how cylinders will be packaged in 55-gallon drums, verified gas-free by the contractor and recycled.
Gary told the board the program excludes standard grill tanks (handled by a different vendor) and certain cartridges (for example, some SodaStream canisters) that must be returned via manufacturer channels. He said the town will monitor barrels and call the contractor when a drum is roughly three-quarters full; the contractor will keep records showing quantities collected.
Selectmen asked how frequent collections might be; Gary said demand is uncertain because many cylinders are currently thrown in garbage or metal recycling and that the town typically gets several public inquiries a year. The board approved authorizing the agreement and joining the program; town staff said the program will reduce the risk of cylinders combusting in waste trucks or at the incinerator and that it should cost the town little to implement because manufacturers fund the collection.
