By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — The Select Board approved a new three-barrel household limit for trash collection during a June 12 meeting.
Select Board Chairman Joe Connell recalled that the Recycling Committee recently voted to recommend that the DPW’s current seven-barrel household limit for weekly trash collection be reduced to five. DPW Director John Tomasz supported the Recycling Committee’s recommendation.
While the Select Board expressed its support for reducing the trash barrel household limit, Select Board member Dick Dalton asked Tomasz last month to administer a survey to residents about how many trash barrels they use on a weekly basis.
Town Administrator Rob Dolan said the Recycling Committee was open to further reducing the originally proposed five-barrel limit.
“The Recycling Committee’s philosophy has been educate and slowly implement,” said Dolan. “This might be an area where we can go a little quicker. Although the Recycling Committee supported the five-barrel limit, the goal was really a four- or three-barrel limit. There will be no objection to go lower than five. The average in the area is three barrels. Our goal is to increase recycling and decrease trash, although recycling is not a money saver that it was for many, many years. Recycling is a very positive thing environmentally and is something we want to promote.”
Tomasz said a survey administered to residents revealed that most people use four barrels.
“We had over 1,600 people respond to the survey regarding this question, and 96 percent of those folks use four or fewer barrels,” said Tomasz.
Dalton said the originally proposed five-barrel limit has “no economic benefit.”
“I don’t know why we would implement a policy that has no economic benefit and, secondly, has no environmental benefit,” said Dalton. “I keep looking for the benefit for the town.”
Tomasz said it costs $95 per ton to dispose trash and $85 per ton to dispose recycling.
“There is a savings of $10 a ton, and it does add up,” said Tomasz. “There is not a huge savings.”
Tomasz also noted that further reducing the seven-barrel limit would put the town in good standing with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, especially when applying for state grants.
“The one thing they don’t want to see is Lynnfield leading the state with the number of barrels we allow to put out,” said Tomasz. “It sets a bad tone with them. It doesn’t help with trying to get money from the state on anything that has to do with recycling. There is an environmental benefit. It’s better to recycle things than to burn things or bury things.”
In response to a question from Dalton, Tomasz said the DPW does not have any limits for the number of recycling containers that are used by residents.
“So there is an incentive to switch things out?” Dalton asked.
Tomasz said yes.
Select Board member Phil Crawford said the five-barrel limit proposal should be reduced.
“I think we should drop it down,” said Crawford. “I would go to four. I have been here for 40 years, and I have never put out more than four barrels. It would hopefully encourage more recycling.”
Dalton said he preferred reducing the household limit to three barrels.
“It would be within the mainstream of what our neighboring communities are doing,” said Dalton. “I think three makes so much more sense.”
Crawford said he had “no problem” with having the DPW implement a three-barrel household limit.
Dolan said the DPW could handle whichever limit was adopted.
Tomasz echoed Dolan’s viewpoint.
“If people don’t like it, I am going to hear about it,” Tomasz joked.
In response to a question from Crawford, Tomasz said the residents who violate the revised limit will receive a warning the first time. He said the DPW will not collect the excess trash barrels if townspeople keep violating the new rule.
“We are not going to go after people around Christmas or if there is something big going on,” said Tomasz. “I am not a betting person, but I doubt there is another city or town that allows seven barrels to be put out. That is not a good image to have from a DEP and environmental standpoint.”
After the discussion, the Select Board unanimously voted to adopt the three-barrel household limit for weekly trash collection.
Dalton said the new limit will go into effect on Sept. 1.
New cardboard recycling change
In addition to the new three-trash barrel household limit, Connell said the DPW will be relocating the four cardboard recycling containers to inside the fence at the DPW yard this September. The containers are currently located in the portion of the Town Hall parking lot that abuts the Pope-Richard Lynnfield Historical Center.
Connell said a number of business owners have been dumping cardboard outside the containers, which has created a mess.
“This would restrict use to only Lynnfield residents,” said Connell. “It will prevent the unsightly accumulation of cardboard left outside the bins.”
Connell said the DPW yard will be open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays for residents to dispose cardboard. He said the change will go into effect on Sept. 1.
“The feedback the board has received since we first discussed this issue has been positive,” said Connell.
Dolan said the town should not be covering the cost for businesses illegally dumping cardboard in the containers.
“It seems like there are ton of boxes left overnight every morning when we come in,” said Dolan. “It costs us a lot of money every time we have to empty them. We want to restrict that piece, but we want to make it as open as possible for citizens because we are all using a lot more cardboard. I think this protects taxpayers, protects our staff and protects tax dollars while also keeping it open for the residents as much as necessary.”
Dalton called moving the cardboard recycling containers into the DPW yard a “good move.”
Crawford agreed.
“This is the only way to take care of it,” said Crawford. “It’s going to make it much better for residents.”
Connell expressed his support for moving the cardboard recycling containers inside the DPW yard.
“The problem right now is once the containers get filled, people are still dumping cardboard on the side of them,” said Connell. “It is causing unsightly conditions. That can be prevented once we move the containers inside the fenced in area.”
Connell said the Select Board did not need to approve relocating the cardboard recycling containers because that decision was up to Tomasz.