Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Waste Management topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Recycling contamination rises to ~15–17%; committee proposes audits and outreach
Summary
The Waste Working Group reported contamination in the town recycling stream has risen from about 12% to roughly 15–17% (target 10%) and proposed educational inserts, a Waste Management network, and random internal audits with possible door-hanger notices and escalation to non-pickup.
Arthur Doyle told the committee that Milton’s recycling-contamination rate had increased from about 12% to roughly 15–17%, exceeding the group’s 10% target. The Waste Working Group recommended several actions to address contamination: inserting educational materials into annual trash-bill mailings, forming a Waste Management network of committee members, town staff, and partner organizations (hospitals, schools) to improve two-way communication, and conducting random internal audits of recycling bins.
Under the audit proposal the Environmental Coordinator (Cassandra Callabro) and an intern would perform sampling; bins that fail could receive door-hanger notices and, if contamination persisted, the town might escalate to non-pickup for contaminated loads after consulting peer communities such as Brookline. J. Hale Smith suggested resident-facing stickers for bins as a possible communication tool, and Kyle Johnson asked whether surveys or interviews had been considered to understand resident behavior.
The group characterized these items as priorities for the coming year and indicated some measures will need budgeting and follow-up with staff. No formal policy or enforcement action was adopted at the meeting because a quorum was not present.
