Gray Solid Waste & Recycling Committee
Meeting Minutes for Wednesday,
September 13, 2006, 5:30 p.m., Stimson Hall
* Review of monthly Transfer Station Data.
* HHW Collection: Review of collection and proposals for the next collection. Review of check-in sheet.
* Committee decision that Gray will schedule a HHW collection for 2007.
* Contact EPI to schedule Gray for Saturday, Aug. 25th, 2007. This is the weekend before Labor Day weekend. Is this the one we want?
* Note: EPI is willing to take 55 gallon drums of HHW. Their primary concern is that the waste is removed from the public domain.
* The check-in sheet will be modified to be limited to town, number of units, and a column to tally a car count from each town.
* Trash Talk topic brainstorm session! Some new topics!
* Glass: What types are collected in Gray. How it's processed. How it's reused. (Peter)
* Compost: How many tons have been collected, processed and distributed. What's in the future for compost collection. (Mark)
* "Room by room": a series on recyclable materials found in each room of the house. (Jewel)
* Business recycling: a new perspective. (Brian)
* Asphalt shingle recycling: Who takes it, how it's processed, how it's reused.
* Maine DEP and Federal EPA regulation and how they affect transfer station operations. Why it's important to recycle correctly. What residents may be doing that could cause red flags. (Peter)
* Transfer Station vendors: processors and haulers. Why it's important to separate recyclables well. How mistakes can cause problems. (Peter)
* Fees at the transfer station: why they are charged and actual disposal costs.
* Follow-up articles to thank those who sent in emails and letters regarding PAYT.
* Sign project update. (Skipped over)
* PAYT / Recycling Ordinance discussion.
* Program discussion continued: Emphasis on "Penalize versus Encourage" (Stick v.s. Carrot)
* Idea: Voucher/Punch Card. Earn enough credits = free sofa disposal.
* Idea: Dump sticker fee raised to $25. Or cost will be less if resident is proven recycler.
* PAYT as an option. To be able to evaluate other options against a PAYT plan, it is essential to flesh out what PAYT would look like in Gray. For next meeting, be prepared to design a PAYT program as we believe it would appear in Gray. Plan to suggest best options for the following:
* Materials- bags? tags? stickers? other materials?
* Machinery- what would Gray need- scales? cash register? more or newer compactors? traffic controls? other machinery?
* Logistics and process flow- how would traffic flow? what is the step by step process a resident would take to recycle and dispose of trash? What would be the ideal layout for the transfer station to make PAYT work? (imagine that money is no object. only a successful program)
* People- new staff? change in job duties?
* Training and education for staff and residents
* Open season! (New business)
* Working conditions at the Transfer Station: summer heat, winter freeze. Can anything be done to improve conditions there?
* Adjourn
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