Moultonborough Trash Inspection

[PHDIII]

Moultonborough residents beware!!
I made my more or less weekly visit to the Moultonborough transfer station last Friday, a routine I have been following for nearly 3 years since moving here. For the first time I noted that one of the workers was assigned to intercepting people as they approached the trash chute and ripping open their bags for inspection of contents. As I dumped my bags another gentleman had been stopped and found to have some aerosol cans and newspapers in his general trash. He was receiving some personal coaching as to what was acceptable trash. Not sure what was done with/to this person ultimately.
As mentioned, be aware.

[upthesaukee]

In Alton, we have to recycle tin cans, clean cardboard, paper including "chip" paper which is like the packaging for cereal boxes, glass, aluminum cans, and plastic bottles. Additionally, we have areas for appliances, metal, leaves and grass, discarded computers and other electronics, and the ability to drop off hazardous waste in the summers on selected weekends. Some of these items incur a small charge.

We have containers at our house for empty soda cans, plastic, glass, and tin cans. We always make the stop at the recycle area before heading to the trash compactors. It amazes me how many people do not make that stop on their way in or out of the transfer station, which probably means there is not much recycling going on in their house.

Alton spends a considerable amount of money monitoring the emission of methane and the presence of harmful materials in the old "dump" area, and I do not mind doing a little separating and recycling to save other areas from that expense.

Glad to see them take an active part.

[VitaBene]

On Saturday, I was treated to an inspection. I passed with only one slight demerit!!

Today I bring the recycling in, we will see how that goes.

[Yosemite Sam]

Originally Posted by PHDIII

Moultonborough residents beware!!
I made my more or less weekly visit to the Moultonborough transfer station last Friday, a routine I have been following for nearly 3 years since moving here. For the first time I noted that one of the workers was assigned to intercepting people as they approached the trash chute and ripping open their bags for inspection of contents. As I dumped my bags another gentleman had been stopped and found to have some aerosol cans and newspapers in his general trash. He was receiving some personal coaching as to what was acceptable trash. Not sure what was done with/to this person ultimately.
As mentioned, be aware.

On Moultonboro's web site for their Waste Management Facility there are some Rules and Regulations about what you can and cannot do.
It also states the following:

* * WARNING * *

Attendants randomly check bags for compliance with this Ordinance. Violators will be turned away with their refuse. There are no exceptions.

http://www.moultonborough.org/pages/...NH_Waste/rules

I hope that other Town's that have transfer stations take an active role in doing the same thing. Good job Moultonboro!

[phoenix]

sounds a little like big brother

[Lakesrider]

Yeah I know what is being said. Nothing like standing outside in 13 degree weather discussing your trash output...... Been there. Done that.
I love the fact that while was having this discussion about 10 people walked right by the guy throwing stuff in the bin. I guess that day I was the lucky one. People were looking at me like just committed a crime.

I have to wonder when I see the trash haulers running around in there trucks full of bags....Do they have soret out the trash when they get to where they bring it.

[BroadHopper]

For those who belong to a home or condo association, you can ask Waste Management to leave a dumpster for 'one stream recycling'. I.E. you don't have to separate the recycled products. They all go in the same dumpster. If you have Waste Management as you disposal operator, depending on the amount of recycled waste, you can save $100 or more a month.

[ITD]

I got inspected too, 1 bag of trash, had a bottle and a can in it. I guess that's two demerits. Guy was very friendly, but I was still a little embarrassed, especially considering I had a large bag of bottles and cans that I recycled. But I guess that's the point of the inspection.....

[phoenix]

sounds a little like TSA and going thru security at the airport. Maybe they profiled you :-)

[Argie's Wife]

Some of the items bring in revenue for the town - which might be part of why they're checking the recycling efforts.

[wifi]

A few years ago, I had a town sticker and brought my trash down. As all of you remember Clarence from maybe 40 years ago, it was a pleasant experience (hence the "Mt Clarence" sign), well this (bad) day (post Clarence = the new administration), I threw my trash back down the chute and it make a clunk. The attendant then demanded I retrieve the bag. So, to be faithful to the rules, climbed into crushing machine and pulled my bag back....sure enough, it was a bunch of rotten potatoes I was throwing out... perfectly legal. (Where is 'prove yourself innocent' in the Constitution?)

Next stop was the bottle place. One of my jars was rejected for 'food in the bottle'. Ahhh... yes, very true, it was a mayonnaise jar and I had not washed it.... there was a thin film (if you held it up to the light). Ok, I will take it home and wash it. Then I made the fatal mistake of putting green glass in the brown glass pile... I got yelled at, then I observed them breaking all the different colors into the same pile.... Pure do it as I tell you....not what makes sense.

So, now I use Waste Management, pay thru the nose, but there is no hassle. They even call if my output isn't at the curb in time. I pay them, but then again I pay the town (thru my elevated taxes....), why can't we have reasonability in town government? Object? I was told my sticker would be revoked, you can have it baby....

[dpg]

I use Waste Mgt at home in Mass. There is probably cheaper ways but lifes way to hectic for me to get yelled at over my trash. Besides I'm not going to spotlessly clean all my recyclying just to throw it away. I do rinse out quick when warranted but that's all. Their just getting plain nuts.

[tummyman]

One wonders that if Laconia can go to single stream recycling with Waste Management at no extra cost, why does Moultonborough spend so much money on the Transfer Station to sort/recycle when we also use Waste Management to haul our trash. The local recycling handling was terrific when we were leading the industry, but now single stream recycling is the new standard. A long term cost/benefit analysis needs to be made before any additional taxpayer money is invested (new buildings, new equipment, etc .etc.) in the Moultonborough Transfer Station. It is interesting that the local new management at the Transfer Station is searching bags for a latent can or bottle, but then is encouraging the use of the household trash containers to put some products that usually would go in the demolition pile, since it is more cost effective. Sounds like an independent review of uninterested parties might be in order. How about the transfer station folks checking more aggressively on stickers or what about all the bulk haulers that pick up at summer cottages, etc. etc. Will the transfer folks instill the same level of scrutiny or will the bulk haulers get a free pass. Seems like a little heavy handed....maybe we have too many people working there if there is time for this nonsense. Next thing we will see is a Homeland Security checkpoint with metal detectors. Hope we don't have to take off our shoes.......

[Sal]

I believe I read that the Moultonborough dump actually produces a net profit for the town.
If that is so, it seems worth the little bit of extra effort involved in meeting the dump guidelines.

[breathe easy]

Originally Posted by Sal

I believe I read that the Moultonborough dump actually produces a net profit for the town.
If that is so, it seems worth the little bit of extra effort involved in meeting the dump guidelines.

The town budget for waste management was close to $700K ,but revenue was only about $150K.
It's interesting that this new " random trash checking" ( mine was checked this morning) started after our new road agent (who now oversees the transfer station) and was formerly the chief of police in Moultonborough. Seems to me to be very similar to a police tactic. Old habits I suppose...

[Redwing]

I have observed that the current transfer station attendants are extremely customer service oriented and most helpful, much more so than in previous years.

In years past, we would send my then 80 year old mother and her 80 year old friend to the dump on occasions when we had lots of items that would normally require a disposal fee. My mother at that time was a resident of Moultonborough with NH plates on her car, and the attendants - upon seeing her - would smile happily at her sight, wave her over to the appropriate station, unload the items for her, and not charge her one penny. Had I gone over in my car with CT plates, I am certain the fee would have been applied (as it had in previous transfer station runs that I had made).

This past summer I was cleaning out an area at the cottage with many old, old, mildew books (from water damage), and brought two large boxes to the transfer station. I was told that the paperbacks were fine for recycling, but the hard covers needed to be torn off of each book. The transfer station attendant proceeded to take my boxes and removed all of the hard covers himself. Very much appreciated, and as helpful and cheerful as he could be.

[LIforrelaxin]

The question I have here, is whether or not the is a huge incovience? That is what people need to ask themselves.

Having a periodic bags checked is not unreasonable if you ask me. Especially where the town has made it know recycling is a priority. In the good ole days, at the dump you just through stuff in the pit, and it got covered up. Well the dump filled up. Now in Moultonborough everything is hauled away.

Sure the town could decided to just let the dumpsters get filled up with everything. But Moultonborough made a choice. The have required trash to be seperated. This ultimately saves the town money. The trash dumpsters are only filled with trash, and thus don't have to emptied as often. The recyclable materials are seperated out, and the town can make some money with them.

This all makes sense to me. the rules of the dump are known. The routine inspections seem reasonable to me.

[tis]

It sounds like Russia or Nazi Germany to me! And we still have freedom in this country? They are now checking our TRASH???? I can't believe it! Is there anything about our lives that does not require a permit or police-ing now?

[Yosemite Sam]

Originally Posted by LIforrelaxin

The question I have here, is whether or not the is a huge incovience? That is what people need to ask themselves.

Having a periodic bags checked is not unreasonable if you ask me. Especially where the town has made it know recycling is a priority. In the good ole days, at the dump you just through stuff in the pit, and it got covered up. Well the dump filled up. Now in Moultonborough everything is hauled away.

Sure the town could decided to just let the dumpsters get filled up with everything. But Moultonborough made a choice. The have required trash to be seperated. This ultimately saves the town money. The trash dumpsters are only filled with trash, and thus don't have to emptied as often. The recyclable materials are seperated out, and the town can make some money with them.

This all makes sense to me. the rules of the dump are known. The routine inspections seem reasonable to me.

That was very well put and I agree with you 100% !!

[Yosemite Sam]

Originally Posted by tis

It sounds like Russia or Nazi Germany to me! And we still have freedom in this country? They are now checking our TRASH???? I can't believe it! Is there anything about our lives that does not require a permit or police-ing now?

To compare anything that we do in this country to the likes of Nazi Germany is a rather harsh statement.
Evidently you are too young to understand what went on during the time that the Nazi's were in control of Germany.

[VitaBene]

Originally Posted by LIforrelaxin

The question I have here, is whether or not the is a huge incovience? That is what people need to ask themselves.

Having a periodic bags checked is not unreasonable if you ask me. Especially where the town has made it know recycling is a priority. In the good ole days, at the dump you just through stuff in the pit, and it got covered up. Well the dump filled up. Now in Moultonborough everything is hauled away.

Sure the town could decided to just let the dumpsters get filled up with everything. But Moultonborough made a choice. The have required trash to be seperated. This ultimately saves the town money. The trash dumpsters are only filled with trash, and thus don't have to emptied as often. The recyclable materials are seperated out, and the town can make some money with them.

This all makes sense to me. the rules of the dump are known. The routine inspections seem reasonable to me.

I was inspected again today. No big deal if you are doing your part, we are good recyclers for the most part.

I did send a note to RA Kinmond that perhaps a sign (even on a sawhorse at the facility entrance) noting that screening of trash will occur may be prudent and keep the insults to the employees down (the worker I spoke with today said he could not repeat some of the names he has been called).

I agree wholeheartedly with Yosemite- please do not equate getting your trash inspected for recyclables with the holocaust that Nazi Germany perpetrated.

[VitaBene]

Originally Posted by breathe easy

The town budget for waste management was close to $700K ,but revenue was only about $150K.
It's interesting that this new " random trash checking" ( mine was checked this morning) started after our new road agent (who now oversees the transfer station) and was formerly the chief of police in Moultonborough. Seems to me to be very similar to a police tactic. Old habits I suppose...

Scott has been RA for some time now and this new practice just started. I am sure that the checks started because the attendants heard way too many bottles and cans clanking into the trash dumpster.

There is no question that it takes some effort to comply. As was noted above, I would love to see a single stream recycling system implemented. We had it at a past residence and it was so easy.

[Pineedles]

Originally Posted by VitaBene

the worker I spoke with today said he could not repeat some of the names he has been called.

I cannot imagine the kind of person who would resort to profanity upon being "caught" with contraband. The folks at the Center are just doing their job by inspecting the rubbish bags.

Of course it is the id "a cauldron full of seething excitations" that causes these explosions of emotion upon being caught with a mayo jar bottle mixed with a couple of egg shells and a few wet coffee grounds.

[breathe easy]

I don't really think there is anything insidious going on, but it seems to me that making "random" checks of trash bags the first step to address the problem ( if there really is a problem) is too heavy handed. Nothing of this was ever discussed at selectmen meetings. Why not just post some signs and reminders before going to the hefty bag search? I know the guys there are just doing what they are told, but I don't like it.
Personally, I feel a bit violated.

[Yosemite Sam]

Originally Posted by breathe easy

Why not just post some signs and reminders before going to the hefty bag search?

People ignore signs and written reminders. The only way to get the attention of people is to do random checks. This really gets the word around that they want people to follow the rules and regualtions of the transfer station.

I do feel sorry for the workers who have to do the checks. I hope that no one gets hurts in a physical way.

[Argie's Wife]

Wow... who would have thought people would get so passionate about their garbage.

Maybe it's me, but I thought our landfill was the social mecca in town. When a microburst tornado dropped a mess o' trees on our house, I remember strangers coming up to me at the landfill to ask if we were OK or if we needed anything (and it's also where I learned our house had been on AP news.) People were so nice - and I didn't know half of them from Adam.

The guys who run the thing don't have any agendas - they're doing what they have to in a job that... well... who would really want the job? They work with household waste - sometimes very hazardous waste - and I'm sure they're job is no picnic, especially in the summer. Cut 'em some slack, maybe.... or escalate your complaint to the town administrator if they're really out of line.... but it sound to me like (and sorry to say it... but it's my kids' saying) "Busted like Colonel Mustard!"

[Lakegeezer]

There are many ways our privacy is violated by businesses and the government but forcing citizens to show their garbage is an added violation, pure and simple. The slide down the slippery slope continues.

[LIforrelaxin]

Originally Posted by VitaBene

I did send a note to RA Kinmond that perhaps a sign (even on a sawhorse at the facility entrance) noting that screening of trash will occur may be prudent......

I thought there was a Sign some where over by the dumpster?

Not that I go there all that often, usually only a few times a year, but I could have sworn I saw a sign at some point.... of course it could be that the sign is no gone I suppose...

[trfour]

Laconia council concludes it's time to step up recycling...

http://citizen.com/apps/pbcs.dll/art...916/-1/CITIZEN

[Greene's Basin Girl]

Originally Posted by LIforrelaxin

I thought there was a Sign some where over by the dumpster?

Not that I go there all that often, usually only a few times a year, but I could have sworn I saw a sign at some point.... of course it could be that the sign is no gone I suppose...

My friend Sherry went to the tranfer station today. They said checking the trash will be done on a regularly. Of course they checked hers. During the summer they said there will be two checking the bags at all times. Gotta love small town news!

[ApS]

Originally Posted by Yosemite Sam

"...I do feel sorry for the workers who have to do the checks. I hope that no one gets hurts in a physical way..."

Just one plastic-gallon-container of used oil in the wrong place would produce a "slippery slope".

[VitaBene]

Originally Posted by LIforrelaxin

I thought there was a Sign some where over by the dumpster?

Not that I go there all that often, usually only a few times a year, but I could have sworn I saw a sign at some point.... of course it could be that the sign is no gone I suppose...

There are 2 signs I believe. One says something like"Moultonborough is a mandatory recycle town per order of the BoS".

My thought is that a sign at the entrance telling people that random bag checks will be occurring will alleviate the attendants from having to be the first bearers of bad news. Some people will turn around, others will separate before approaching the dumpsters.

[LIforrelaxin]

Originally Posted by VitaBene

There are 2 signs I believe. One says something like"Moultonborough is a mandatory recycle town per order of the BoS".

My thought is that a sign at the entrance telling people that random bag checks will be occurring will alleviate the attendants from having to be the first bearers of bad news. Some people will turn around, others will separate before approaching the dumpsters.

Ah, there are signs, but if they don't say anything about periodic inspection then VB I believe I have to agree with you, a sign pointing that fact out should be posted....

Just saying "Moultonborough is a mandatory recycle town per order of the BoS" is definately not good enough.

[CrawfordCentury]

I'm just waiting for someone to post that he got inspected the day he decided to part with his collection of gentlemen's magazines.

[wifi]

Originally Posted by CrawfordCentury

I'm just waiting for someone to post that he got inspected the day he decided to part with his collection of gentlemen's magazines.

Bwahahaha... We should start a poll on when the first arrest will be for 'whatever'

[breathe easy]

Here is the link to the transfer station ordinance. http://www.moultonborough.org/Pages/...coverypark.pdf
I don't see anywhere that the ordinance authorizes the attendants to search your trash.
I can see potential problems. What if someone flat out refuses to have their trash searched? What is the procedure for the attendant to follow? Call the MPD?

[trfour]

Originally Posted by CrawfordCentury

I'm just waiting for someone to post that he got inspected the day he decided to part with his collection of gentlemen's magazines.

They may be able to cut you some slack... Maybe renegotiate your benefits...

[VitaBene]

Section 7.6- Authority is hereby delegated by the Board of Selectmen to Transfer Station Attendants or designees to supervise the separation of materials under this ordinance, as indicated in 7.2 above, and to enforce the ordinance as required.


To be clear, I would prefer single stream recycling but what we have is what we have for now. I don't love having my bags checked. It does make me think though.

[Sal]

Originally Posted by Lakegeezer

There are many ways our privacy is violated by businesses and the government but forcing citizens to show their garbage is an added violation, pure and simple. The slide down the slippery slope continues.

? Example of "slippery slope" ...... ?

1. Sound of metal or glass heard whilst trash bag makes contact with trash recepticle.

2. Militant employee of town recycling center "forces" citizen to retrieve bag and open it for inspection.

3 Upon discovery of contraband material, dumper is "forced" into removing contraband ( even if it requires the soiling of dumper's hands ) material and further "forced" to take said material to the "proper" recepticle and deposit it there.

4. As embarassed violator drives from center, license plate number is noted and enterred into log.

5. Police Department is notified of the tag number and the nature of the recycling violation.

6. P.D. obtains residential address of violater.

7. Surveillance is set up by P.D. on violator's residence and vehicle.

8. Search warrants are sought by P.D. and are granted by the court, based on the representation of "dump violation".

9. Violator's residence and vehicle are searched. Trace of illicit material is discovered in ashtray.

10. Criminal charges are comenced against the dump violator.

11. Violator seeks legal counsel. Advance fee is more than violator wishes to pay. Violator becomes severely aggitated.

12 Violator, realizing prison term is real and likely, takes his hunting rifle and ....................................



"Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?"

[twoplustwo]

...would show me how to get the dog food out of the can. With the coating they put inside those buggers, the stuff doesn't want to come out.

I once got yelled at because I recycled Corona bottles without removing the limes. I do not have a lime remover. I had to switch beers

[Heaven]

Seems to me that for those who object to the town dump, there is an option of hiring your trash removed (and yes to a previous question, haulers that collect at homes and then take their truck to the dump first open all the bags and sort, triple yuk!). The cost of hiring your trash removed is your chosen expense for not desiring to recycle or have your garbage checked. Having said that, I can think of some items I have thrown away in the past (quite "legally") that I would be mortified if a random town employee got to see, so I can see the possibility of a privacy issue.

[Yosemite Sam]

Looks like the Moultonboro Citizens Alliance is getting a taste of their own medicine.

[Sman]

The attendant then demanded I retrieve the bag. So, to be faithful to the rules, climbed into crushing machine and pulled my bag back

wifi, you ever watch the fox pregame show on MNF?

I have to give you a COME ON MAN!! - you don't climb into a garbage truck, and shame on that knuckle head for asking you to

And to the other guy, you don't need to remove limes from a Corona bottle, you too COME ON MAN!!

Know when these guys are asking for something unreasonable, we are talking about trash right?

[breathe easy]

Originally Posted by Yosemite Sam

Looks like the Moultonboro Citizens Alliance is getting a taste of their own medicine.

I don't follow...??

[Yosemite Sam]

Originally Posted by breathe easy

I don't follow...??

The Moultonboro Citizens Alliance was formed to get public involvement in Town Government. They want complete transparency and will go to any effort to see that this happens. They watch every move that local government officials make which reminds me of the dump attendants going thru garbage bags.

If you look at the MCA website it looks like someone has a full time job just uploading videos and keeping track of all that is going on in the little town of Moultonboro.

Don’t get me wrong, I want all town officials to be up front with all that goes on, but I sort of feel sorry for the Moultonboro elected officials because there are so many back seat drivers that think that they can run things better.

I don’t live in Moultonboro but I get a kick out of some of the things that the Alliance does to harass the selectmen.

[Argie's Wife]

Every town has something that like - people who are always sniffing around....

As someone who works closely with my town's boards and committees, including the school board, I like to see people interested in what's going on, as long as they're respectful of the committees' or boards' time and protocols for running a meeting.

[Yosemite Sam]

Originally Posted by Argie's Wife

Every town has something that like - people who are always sniffing around....

As someone who works closely with my town's boards and committees, including the school board, I like to see people interested in what's going on, as long as they're respectful of the committees' or boards' time and protocols for running a meeting.

Moultonboro also has a blog named: Moultonboro Speaks

When you click on the above blog, it will go to a post where someone wants a local government offical to "step down".

Is there so much wrong with Moultonboro's government that they need that much scrutiny?

[SIKSUKR]

Uh oh,will they be checking the hard drive next on my old computer?I need to restrick my surfing sites!

[Rattlesnake Guy]

Originally Posted by SIKSUKR

Uh oh,will they be checking the hard drive next on my old computer?I need to restrick my surfing sites!

Don't worry, they can already read it in you house.

[breathe easy]

I think all we need do is use transparent trash bags. No need to open them anymore.

[SAMIAM]

Really not a bad idea to keep an eye on town governments....some times they thumb their noses at the taxpayers.....for example, the Laconia Sun reported last week that when Meredith selectmen asked town employees to forgo their annual cost of living raise because of the bad economy....that angry employees, led by Lt Keith True of the MPD, overwhelmed town meeting with their numbers and VOTED themselves a raise.
MCA may not be such a bad thing.

[LIforrelaxin]

Originally Posted by SAMIAM

Really not a bad idea to keep an eye on town governments....some times they thumb their noses at the taxpayers.....for example,the Laconia Sun reported last week that when Meredith selectmen asked town employees to forgo their annual cost of living raise because of the bad economy....that angry employees,led by Lt Keith True of the MPD,overwhelmed town meeting with their numbers and VOTED themselves a raise.
MCA may not be such a bad thing.

Not only is it not a bad idea, it is our Right, as American's and as Tax Payers.

First of all not enough people anymore are involved at the basic level of voting once a year. But after that even those that vote far fewer remain involved enough to make sure that the people they elect are doing what it is that they promised, when they campaigned.

As citizens in a community, especially when you own property and pay taxes you have a great many rights that people often over look. You have every right to question your elected officials, they might not like it, but you do have the right. You have the right to sit down and talk to them too.... it doesn't mean they have to make it easy for you.... but you do have the right.

[Argie's Wife]

Originally Posted by Yosemite Sam

Moultonboro also has a blog named: Moultonboro Speaks

When you click on the above blog, it will go to a post where someone wants a local government offical to "step down".

Is there so much wrong with Moultonboro's government that they need that much scrutiny?

Well, it seems some of those people in those types of groups have a personal ax to grind and most certainly their own agenda. I see it come up from time to time where the most vocal ones use their outcries as fodder for their campaign for a position on a board or committee later. They're generally the LAST people you want responsible for your children's education or the policy making in your town. (What's the old saying about a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing?)

It does concern me that some of these groups go to extremes they do because some of their issues have to come to legal council, which runs up a tab with a lawyer - and they are, in fact, taking someone or something to task that was long-ago taken care of... and at the TAX PAYERS' EXPENSE! It's one thing to watch and speak up from time to time - it's quite another to manipulate a whole meeting with one's personal agenda.

[breathe easy]

Originally Posted by LIforrelaxin

Not only is it not a bad idea, it is our Right, as American's and as Tax Payers.

First of all not enough people anymore are involved at the basic level of voting once a year. But after that even those that vote far fewer remain involved enough to make sure that the people they elect are doing what it is that they promised, when they campaigned.

As citizens in a community, especially when you own property and pay taxes you have a great many rights that people often over look. You have every right to question your elected officials, they might not like it, but you do have the right. You have the right to sit down and talk to them too.... it doesn't mean they have to make it easy for you.... but you do have the right.

I definitely agree. Many people in Moultonborough follow along like sheep whatever the town officials decide. There is nothing wrong with paying attention to how your elected officials are spending your money and holding them accountable. Remember the planning baord ordinances that were defeated last year? People paid attention. Remember the bills that Betsey Patten tried to pass last year? Didn't happen because people paid attention and voiced their opinions.

[jmen24]

Originally Posted by Sal

I believe I read that the Moultonborough dump actually produces a net profit for the town.
If that is so, it seems worth the little bit of extra effort involved in meeting the dump guidelines.

I do not know about Moultonborough, but in the town I live in we are going to see an additional $40,000 applied to our dumping fees (at the town level) if the other 75% of the town does not get in the game and start recycling. The first few years the transfer station was backfeeding the town budget and keeping some for themselves that allowed for equipment purchases that we did not have to see an increase to pay for. But it appears things are dieing down on the recycling front, I cannot for the life of me understand why.

I can tell you by pulling every piece of paper, cardboard, tin, plactic and glass out of the trash bag, out family of four only brings two bags of garbage to the transfer station a week and I do the recyclables every other.

[rander7823]

I once flagged down a garbage truck that was on fire and the driver wasn't aware. Later I believe the cause was aerosol cans that were compressed and exploded when he was compacting. Not sure if that was true but seems like a pretty good reason to inspect.

[CrawfordCentury]

Originally Posted by breathe easy

I think all we need do is use transparent trash bags. No need to open them anymore.

Not a good idea, IMO. Milton makes you buy see-thru bags from the town. They're like a buck a piece. So if you use an average of 4 bags a year, that's an additional annual expense of $200.

Nifty way to heap on a new tax, I suppose.

[Rattlesnake Guy]

Originally Posted by jmen24

...But it appears things are dieing down on the recycling front, I cannot for the life of me understand why.

It's simple supply and demand. More people are now recycling than the amount of consumption of recycled products. There are warehouses full of recycle materials waiting for the price to go back up. A practice that should insure that the price will never be able to go back up. Apparently the recycling world operates as a very efficient market. Don't tell Washington, they might fix it.

[Pineedles]

Stockpiling trash is the same as OPEC stockpiling oil. In the end only OPEC and Al Gore make money.

[fatlazyless]

While not specifically about the Moultonborough transfer station, this can maybe apply to all New Hampshire transfer stations.

"Pay Per Throw or Pay Per Bag programs........The writing is on the wall. We must do something." Justin Leavitt, Transfer Facility Manager, Gilmanton, NH

www.laconiadailysun.com, December 18, page 5: A public message-editorial style display advertisement from Gilmanton that is very informative in telling you all about the costs of running a New Hampshire transfer station.
..........

Hey, here's a question for you......so how come New Hampshire is probably the one and only state for one thousand miles that does not require a 5-cent deposit on aluminum beverage cans? Answer: Granite Staters should be recycling because they want to do it, and not just because they would get their nickel back!

Check out the list of prices......aluminum cans.....$1040./per ton...is far and away the highest price amoung the various recycled materials.

[RI Swamp Yankee]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

... "Pay Per Throw or Pay Per Bag programs ........

Yup, works in my town. We pay $1.50 per bag we take to the transfer station. The town gave us blue and green buckets for recycle and picks up the recycle each week for free, just put it at the curb. The only thing they check at the transfer station is if each bag has the prepaid sticker of the proper color for the year. $1.50 per bag is the incentive to recycle.

[Yosemite Sam]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

While not specifically about the Moultonborough transfer station, this can maybe apply to all New Hampshire transfer stations.

"Pay Per Throw or Pay Per Bag programs........The writing is on the wall. We must do something." Justin Leavitt, Transfer Facility Manager, Gilmanton, NH

www.laconiadailysun.com, December 18, page 5: A public message-editorial style display advertisement from Gilmanton that is very informative in telling you all about the costs of running a New Hampshire transfer station.
..........

Hey, here's a question for you......so how come New Hampshire is probably the one and only state for one thousand miles that does not require a 5-cent deposit on aluminum beverage cans? Answer: Granite Staters should be recycling because they want to do it, and not just because they would get their nickel back!

Check out the list of prices......aluminum cans.....$1040./per ton...is far and away the highest price amoung the various recycled materials.

Small towns shouldn't be in the business of sorting waste and then paying someone else to take it away.
The Gilmanton Transfer Facility Manager states that he needs to do something to turn his facility into a profit center. At one time the Transfer Stations were supported by our property taxes. Now they want to make us pay more and more for taking our trash.
This has got to stop or these transfer stations are going to nickel and dime us to death and there won't be a thing we can do about it.

Revolt I say, Revolt!!!!!

[Jonas Pilot]

How big are the bags? Will they hold a couple kitchen size trash bags?

[RI Swamp Yankee]

Originally Posted by Jonas Pilot

How big are the bags? Will they hold a couple kitchen size trash bags?

34 gallon bag, I think I also saw somewhere a 35 pound limit but I can't find it on the local town website. I can cram about 4 or so kitchen size bags in it ... if I push hard ... or what fills one outside plastic garbage can.

Slight error, only $1.40 per bag, buy a sheet of 5 stickers for $7. Anything that doesn't fit in a bag is 7 cents per pound, $7.00 minimum.

[Argie's Wife]

Originally Posted by Yosemite Sam

Small towns shouldn't be in the business of sorting waste and then paying someone else to take it away.
The Gilmanton Transfer Facility Manager states that he needs to do something to turn his facility into a profit center. At one time the Transfer Stations were supported by our property taxes. Now they want to make us pay more and more for taking our trash.
This has got to stop or these transfer stations are going to nickel and dime us to death and there won't be a thing we can do about it.

Revolt I say, Revolt!!!!!

News flash, my friend: there's revenue to be had in them there trash heaps. I'm talkin' 'bout glass, aluminum, roofing materials, and you-name-it. Seriously. And those recyclables that bring in money keep your taxes lower in the long run....

[trfour]

It is High time to get ready for the Christmas Season, please put this thread in the bag until after the Holidays, "Thank you all very much"...

After all, and after, our refuse can be of use! "AFTER"!

God knows all about, and brighter days are on the way... "Keep the faith!"

[Yosemite Sam]

Originally Posted by Argie's Wife

News flash, my friend: there's revenue to be had in them there trash heaps. I'm talkin' 'bout glass, aluminum, roofing materials, and you-name-it. Seriously. And those recyclables that bring in money keep your taxes lower in the long run....

You are right AW and Wolfeboro is a good example.
Wolfeboro residents recycled 18.93 tons of material more in 2008 than they did in 2007. Sales of recyclable materials also set a record at $128,983. Hauling and tipping fees average $98 a ton, so in addition to making $128,983 on sales, the town also avoided $190,964 in disposal costs for the 1,948.61 tons of material recycled. In other words, the recycling program gave Wolfeboro a total economic benefit of $314,947 in 2008. The recycling rate – the percentage of the weight of materials recycled to the total weight of materials collected in 2008 – was 60.5 percent. This was up from 58 percent in 2007. Wolfeboro’s recycling percentage is higher than the one listed by the Department of Environmental Services (DES) because DES does not include shingles in its list of recyclables. Last year Wolfeboro recycled more than 400 tons of old shingles. The shingles are ground up and mixed with gravel to make a material called aggraphalt, which is used in road construction projects.
In 2007 the Northeast Resource Recovery Association gave Wolfeboro a first place award for the most tonnage recycled in for a town with a population from 5,000 to 10,000. Wolfeboro’s 2007 results were within 100 tons of the large population winner, Merrimack, which has a population of 26,613 vs. Wolfeboro’s 6,625.
I don’t know how 2009 will turn out but 2008 sure was a good year for Wolfeboro.
The Solid Waste & Recycling Facility in Wolfeboro is run by a gentleman by the name of Adam Tasker. Maybe other towns should contact him to see how he does it.

[ITD]

Merry Christmas trfour and everybody!!!!!!!

[woodynh]

I have no problem recycling and believe it is a good thing. The problem at the Moultonborough transfer station is they charge you for anything that can not be recycled. It is not cheap. Any thing that can not be recycled or is not household trash costs a minimum of $10. I threw away 2 old TV's at a cost of $18 each.

I had an old tie rod off a car it couldn't go in the household trash and the attendant said it need to go into the demolition bin for $10 but was nice enough to not charge me this time. I heard now they are charging to take any scrap metal which they make money off.

I have a pile in my yard of scrap wood metal and misc old parts that I can't afford to get rid off so it just sits and collects bugs and rots.

Residents should be allowed to dump this stuff in small quantities for free. We use to be able to but not with the new guy in charge.

I have seen people pull right out of the transfer station before and down the road and dump stuff in the woods that the transfer station would not take.

They should have one week a year where anything can be dumped for free. Where I lived before Moultonborough use to have one weekend a year you could pile anything out beside the road and they would pick it up and haul it away for no charge.

[Redwing]

In New Haven, we used to have bulk pick up every summer....each neighborhood in the city would be assigned a different week. It was a real happening, with scavengers picking through others disgarded "treasures". The city then went to bulk-pick-up by appointment only, but they take everything, including appliances (not hazardous waste, of course; we have a recycling station for that which is open from May through October). On our street, when one person has a bulk-pick-up the word spreads quickly and everyone hauls out their stuff.

[CrawfordCentury]

Originally Posted by RI Swamp Yankee

Yup, works in my town. We pay $1.50 per bag we take to the transfer station. The town gave us blue and green buckets for recycle and picks up the recycle each week for free, just put it at the curb. The only thing they check at the transfer station is if each bag has the prepaid sticker of the proper color for the year. $1.50 per bag is the incentive to recycle.

So, they're getting you twice.

If that's what the good folks of the Ocean State like, fine. Not here, please. Making the top 10 isn't a goal of many of us. #46 is just fine for me.

http://money.cnn.com/2009/04/10/pf/t...ates/index.htm

Originally Posted by CrawfordCentury

Not a good idea, IMO. Milton makes you buy see-thru bags from the town. They're like a buck a piece. So if you use an average of 4 bags a year, that's an additional annual expense of $200.

Nifty way to heap on a new tax, I suppose.

[AB_Monterey]

We've got the same situation here in Raymond.

1.50/bag. We may put one one bag a month. $12/year.

We have curbside recycling as well and we also compost.

I'm constantly amazed when I drive by houses that have 2-3 of the green bags out EVERY week.

[RI Swamp Yankee]

Originally Posted by CrawfordCentury

So, they're getting you twice. ..

Not sure I understand what you mean by twice.

I agree, don't really like being in the "top 10".

[trfour]

The true feelings of Christmas... I love this website, however, where is the site Police, to put this thread in, (lets say, a more appropriate place)??

I can understand everyone's disappointments, but at the same time, we will all come out of this, (On The Other Side)!! I HOPE!

Bag this thread, and save it for the HOT weather, (When it realy stinks!)

[SAMIAM]

I don't think it's wise to charge for appliances and small amounts of demolition.....anyone on tough times is going to dump in the woods......or even worse, in the lake. I found a dishwasher dumped on our road last summer and took it to the Meredith transfer station.....I explained the situation but the attendant still charged me. Every spring we take my tractor out to collect bottles and cans beside the road........In case anyone wants to know, Bud lite and Mikes Hard lemonade are the favorites of ice fishermen. We usually get 3-4 bags in 2/3 mile of road.

[LIforrelaxin]

Originally Posted by SAMIAM

I don't think it's wise to charge for appliances and small amounts of demolition.....anyone on tough times is going to dump in the woods......or even worse, in the lake. I found a dishwasher dumped on our road last summer and took it to the Meredith transfer station.....I explained the situation but the attendant still charged me. Every spring we take my tractor out to collect bottles and cans beside the road........In case anyone wants to know, Bud lite and Mikes Hard lemonade are the favorites of ice fishermen. We usually get 3-4 bags in 2/3 mile of road.

I hear you about the Ice Fisherman Sam....... Appearently two or three years ago my camp was a nice vantage point from which to over see their tip ups.... When I arrived after the melt, I found a few cases of empties on my deck.....

Now I will say this beside the empties I found there was no other evidence that they had been there.... so although they left some bottles laying around..... they were not abussive in anyway......

[CrawfordCentury]

Originally Posted by RI Swamp Yankee

Not sure I understand what you mean by twice.

I agree, don't really like being in the "top 10".

Assuming that your transfer station/dump isn't run by volunteers, that department is being funded through your local property tax. The rubbish bag scam is akin to a 'surcharge' - a term the folks in Concord (and I'd assume Providence and Boston, too) like to use when they're trying to bilk us for more without using the dreaded 't' word.

[SIKSUKR]

Originally Posted by woodynh

I had an old tie rod off a car it couldn't go in the household trash and the attendant said it need to go into the demolition bin for $10 but was nice enough to not charge me this time. I heard now they are charging to take any scrap metal which they make money off.

I guess I'm lucky. Here in the Manchester area I have at least 3 scrap metal guys that compete to see who can get anything metal from my dumpster. I find them in there once a week. I now put all metall items aside for them. We have a truck called metal heads that rides around the neighborhoods looking for metal. I call them and they come take away washers, dryers, and the like for free.

[RI Swamp Yankee]

Originally Posted by CrawfordCentury

Assuming that your transfer station/dump isn't run by volunteers, that department is being funded through your local property tax. The rubbish bag scam is akin to a 'surcharge' - ...

Ok, gotcha ... understand. They "claim" it offsets the money they would raise from taxes. Also tha transfer station is now only open 3 day a week ... to further reduce the ever increasing taxes.

[CrawfordCentury]

Originally Posted by RI Swamp Yankee

Ok, gotcha ... understand. They "claim" it offsets the money they would raise from taxes. Also tha transfer station is now only open 3 day a week ... to further reduce the ever increasing taxes.

Hey, that's swell. I bet that you've seen your local tax rate decrease to reflect the offsets generated through rubbish bag sales.

[fatlazyless]

Good golly......why not have a New Hampshire nickel deposit on cans and bottles just like most every other state? That would probably help to keep all the cans and bottles out of the transfer stations and purchasers wold happily return them to retail stores, like super markets , which sells them. The Massachusets super markets all have can return vending machines located in their entry vestibule area which take in cans, and give out store credits.

Plus, it would probably help to eliminate the can and bottle roadside litter. Down in Boston, it seems like they have a squadron of down & out homeless types who patrol the back alleys, investigating the trash bags on trash day, while looking for returnables just for the nickel/can.

Can collecting: not just a nickel job, more like a nickel career! .... .

[breathe easy]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

Good golly......why not have a New Hampshire nickel deposit on cans and bottles just like most every other state?

There is a bill in the 2010 NH House proposing just that:

HOUSE BILL 675-FN "To encourage container reuse and recycling, every beverage container sold or offered for sale to a consumer in this state shall have a deposit and refund value. The deposit value shall be $0.05 per container. Handling fees per container shall be $0.035, or $0.03 for commingling"

But one down side according to the Fiscal Impact statement attached to the bill :

"The Commission assumes the deposit on wine bottles cannot be passed to the consumer without an impact in wine sales, and therefore the Commission will absorb the full impact of the deposit, reducing wine revenue by $1,160,978 "
"The Commission assumes the deposit will reduce the price advantage over other states and may reduce gallons of beer sold by up to 40% which would reduce beer tax revenues up to $4,980,000 "

[tis]

Years ago, you returned bottles in this state. Some people used to walk up and down the road looking for bottles and returning them for the money.

[Rattlesnake Guy]

Originally Posted by tis

Years ago, you returned bottles in this state. Some people used to walk up and down the road looking for bottles and returning them for the money.

I was one of those kids walking the streets in the 60s picking up bottles for $0.02 each. Two cents was worth the effort to this kid. That was the free market at work. Not a government program with layers of bureaucrats making a living out of it with hopes of poor redemption to make profits. The good old days. Coke paid the retailer money to get the bottle back so they could wash it and use it again and again.

[fatlazyless]

From www.bottlebill.org, we learn that eleven states: Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Delaware, Michigan, Iowa, Oregon, California, & Hawaii have bottle bills. These are five cent deposits on beverage cans and bottles.

Probably, the biggest argument in favor of a 5-cent bottle bill is that it doubles the number of containers that get recycled when compared to curbside recycling. The biggest opponents are the beverage industry and super markets.

Will the NH 5-cent bottle bill, HB675-FN, get passed this year by the New Hampshire legislature? Wednesday, January 6 is opening day for NH's legislative session. Could be a good idea to tighten the chinstrap on your helmet!

[Seeker]

Originally Posted by Rattlesnake Guy

I was one of those kids walking the streets in the 60s picking up bottles for $0.02 each. Two cents was worth the effort to this kid. That was the free market at work. Not a government program with layers of bureaucrats making a living out of it with hopes of poor redemption to make profits. The good old days. Coke paid the retailer money to get the bottle back so they could wash it and use it again and again.

I was selling Coke and Cott back in the early fifties. Coke was .035 per 6 oz bottle plus the .02 deposit. I was selling to golfers for .15 and I got 98% of the bottles back to return to Coke. Not a bad profit margin.

[CrawfordCentury]

So we've gone from rubbish inspections to the institution of a new state government program. I see how this works.

Guess I'll just drink more beer and wine to circumvent this new surcharge. Now all we'll need is a government-managed health care system to treat the alcohol-related illness I'll encounter a few years down the road.

[jmen24]

Originally Posted by SAMIAM

I don't think it's wise to charge for appliances and small amounts of demolition.....anyone on tough times is going to dump in the woods......or even worse, in the lake. I found a dishwasher dumped on our road last summer and took it to the Meredith transfer station.....I explained the situation but the attendant still charged me. Every spring we take my tractor out to collect bottles and cans beside the road........In case anyone wants to know, Bud lite and Mikes Hard lemonade are the favorites of ice fishermen. We usually get 3-4 bags in 2/3 mile of road.

Sam, I could not agree more regarding the appliance and small demo charges. If you have ever driven the Road to Hana on Maui, you will quickly understand why charging a fee to dispose of these items is bad. Granted a different set of challenges there, but we counted over 25 cars and 17 appliances on that one road, everywhere there was a turn in, it was packed with all kinds of junk.

The other issues with towns charging for appliance disposal is this. Any appliance with "Hard" metal in them, dryers, stoves, washing machines, etc, get you a refund at the recycling plant in Concord (over 400lbs needed). Most towns charge for these appliances and then when the pile is big enough they go collect some more money at the recycling center. Frigs cost only $10 at the recycling center as well. Most towns double dip. When I was in property management we would stock pile our appliances that needed to go to the scrap yard until we had a truck and trailer load and go directly to Concord with it, we saved on average $3,000.00 per year by bypassing the town dump and that includes getting money back on certain items instead of paying out. 240 low income apartments generated alot of appliance turnover.

[RI Swamp Yankee]

Originally Posted by CrawfordCentury

Hey, that's swell. I bet that you've seen your local tax rate decrease to reflect the offsets generated through rubbish bag sales.

I wish! The "claim" doesn't match the reality. Like elsewhere the line is: taxes would have gone up even more if we didn't cut your services.

[RI Swamp Yankee]

Originally Posted by Rattlesnake Guy

I was one of those kids walking the streets in the 60s picking up bottles for $0.02 each. Two cents was worth the effort to this kid. .....

My cousin in NH did that too. The bottles earned him a snow shovel ... which earned him a snowblower ... which earned him a pickup truck with snowplow.

[fatlazyless]

Today's Jan 5 Citizen has an article about Laconia and that Laconia now has single stream recycling with recyclables to be picked up once/two weeks by Waste Management. Trash is picked up once/week. While pay/bag is being considered, there is no additional charge other than property tax at this time.

Listen to this: Waste Management picks up the recyclable materials like paper, plastics and glass for no charge to the City and expects to make money by selling the collected recycled materials. Plus, Laconia residents no longer have to sort their recycled materials into seperate containers for paper-plastics-glass. All the different recycled materials, paper-plastic-glass & other, can be placed into one container of 36-gallons (a standard trash can) or less, provided it is labeled 'recycle.'

So, does Waste Management have a machine somewhere that will sort out a great big trash truck loaded up with numerous different recyclable materials and then deliver them to a recycle center? How does that work?

[VitaBene]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

Today's Jan 5 Citizen has an article about Laconia and that Laconia now has single stream recycling with recyclables to be picked up once/two weeks by Waste Management. Trash is picked up once/week. While pay/bag is being considered, there is no additional charge other than property tax at this time.

Listen to this: Waste Management picks up the recyclable materials like paper, plastics and glass for no charge to the City and expects to make money by selling the collected recycled materials. Plus, Laconia residents no longer have to sort their recycled materials into seperate containers for paper-plastics-glass. All the different recycled materials, paper-plastic-glass & other, can be placed into one container of 36-gallons (a standard trash can) or less, provided it is labeled 'recycle.'

So, does Waste Management have a machine somewhere that will sort out a great big trash truck loaded up with numerous different recyclable materials and then deliver them to a recycle center? How does that work?

I wondered the same thing... http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...5886118625814#

[CL 240 LS]

Rochester has a huge WM regional facility that surrounding towns haul to. The operation has trucks lined up at the scales all day. The methane gas from the landfill is sent through a new pipeline to Durham along the Spaulding Tpk to a UNH power plant. The City of Rochester has had curbside single stream pickup for a couple of years now.

I hope Moultonboro sells the presorted recyclables at a better rate to support the extra costs (personnel and equipment) involved of hand sorting at the Moultonboro facility.

[fatlazyless]

Very informative video of that single-stream recycle center, Penn Waste in York, Pennsylvania, a town of 40,000 in south east Pennsylvania, close to Maryland. Terrific informative post, VB!

Pennsylvania does not have a 5-cent bottle bill as far as I know, and at $1040./ton those bails of crushed aluminum cans are probably the big money-maker that really makes that expensive looking recycle-truck-diesel-labor facility viable.

Hey, check out the www.laconiadailysun.com: December 18, page 5, editorial style 1/4 page informational ad from the Gilmanton Transfer Station detailing the prices received for different materials.

So, if NH passes HB675-FN, a 5-cent bottle & can deposit law, which should double the number of recycled cans verses single stream recycling, the effects of that would probably impact the money dynamics for recycling and local transfer stations.

Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York all have 5-cent bottle & can deposit laws.......so why not New Hampshire?

HB675 would double the number of recycle bottles and cans going back through the Wal-Mart's, Hannaford's, Shaw's, Market Basket's, etc. that sold them to the consumer. With a reverse-vending machine located in the entry area, people insert their empties into the reverse-vending machine and get a paper scrip receipt, good for 5 cents/can at the store's check-out cash register.

HB675 keeps bottle and can litter off the roads, parks, lakes, and woods, and out of the local transfer stations plus it doubles the number of returns verses single-stream recycling.

Bottle bills have been in use in nearby states for 25-years and more and they work very well!

[Lucky1]

I always do the plastic bottles and cans and glass before going to the trash chute. However last fall after I carefully did my separating, I saw one of the people who work there take a crib and matress and toss all of the parts in the "garbage only" chute. Seemed to be both a waste of a good crib that had been carefully set aside, and a breaking of the rules for garbage. Oh well. I like the men who work there though and find them really helpful.

Recently I read that only the level one things ever get recycled. The other levels end up being burned and releasing all the junk into the air. Has anyone else heard about this?

[State]

1. Not all recycling is equal. Newsprint, for example, still gets incinerated--approx. half of it--even when it supposedly goes for recycling. There simply aren't the buyers for it. Notice the price one can fetch for a tonne of it? Pennies.

2. The new aluminum cans are designed to be strong enough with much less of the aluminum.

3. The savings of recycling gallon plastic milk jugs are not even equal to the cost to the environment cleaning the d-mn things out.

By the way, who's paying me to clean these recyclables? Do I get a rebate having my furnace kick on removing the film of grease or food particles?

And that's my biggest bone to pick--Is that a joke?--some people who have their trash hauled away aren't subjected to this invasive treatment. You know there's this thing called the Fourteenth Amendment that applies to states and municipalities, too. I used to pay a guy $7 a month to haul away my trash. Some of you may know Ralph Carasco. I'm thinking of doing it again. He pulls up in M'boro and they aren't going to stop him from throwing his dozens and dozens of bags in the hoopster. That was a few years ago, so he may be a little more.

Of course, when I have received my demerits I plead there are four children and two other adults at my home. And I work two jobs, so I can't be responsible if a piece of cardboard gets thrown in.

I heard some communities are even requiring see-through trash bags to assist in the monitoring.

It all prompts the following thought in my head: Are we still citizens or subjects? Put some demand that we recycle and we are supposed to bleat without thinking. Yeees, sir!

And green glass? Not worth recycling unless we're running out of sand (silicon). The last time I check they have so much of it I let my children play on veritable mountains of it in the fall by Playground Road in Moultonboro.

[State]

Here's background on the general uselessness of recycling:

http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=6093

As I said, aluminum cans used to be all recycled until they redesigned them. Now there're so much easier to crush. Not impressive to do so anymore.

I remember the old days of backing up and tossing stuff into a pit. Tamworth was the last community I lived that practiced that. 1999 or 2000. Now we all buy into the bogus belief that we are running out of space to do that.

Yet even the EPA says the risk of such places is minimal to the environment, if one reads the link.

The emperor has no clothes. A lot of what we "recycle" does in fact get incinerated. The reason being there are buyers for the stuff. Newsprint is a big example of this. It's still marginally cheaper to cut down trees in Canada where they're plentiful and make pulp out 'em then to expensively recycle old news print. Until the technology improves, it should stay that way for years longer.

Are we running out of space for cemeteries, too?

[Sue Doe-Nym]

Originally Posted by State

1. Not all recycling is equal. Newsprint, for example, still gets incinerated--approx. half of it--even when it supposedly goes for recycling. There simply aren't the buyers for it. Notice the price one can fetch for a tonne of it? Pennies.

2. The new aluminum cans are designed to be strong enough with much less of the aluminum.

3. The savings of recycling gallon plastic milk jugs are not even equal to the cost to the environment cleaning the d-mn things out.

By the way, who's paying me to clean these recyclables? Do I get a rebate having my furnace kick on removing the film of grease or food particles?

And that's my biggest bone to pick--Is that a joke?--some people who have their trash hauled away aren't subjected to this invasive treatment. You know there's this thing called the Fourteenth Amendment that applies to states and municipalities, too. I used to pay a guy $7 a month to haul away my trash. Some of you may know Ralph Carasco. I'm thinking of doing it again. He pulls up in M'boro and they aren't going to stop him from throwing his dozens and dozens of bags in the hoopster. That was a few years ago, so he may be a little more.

Of course, when I have received my demerits I plead there are four children and two other adults at my home. And I work two jobs, so I can't be responsible if a piece of cardboard gets thrown in.

I heard some communities are even requiring see-through trash bags to assist in the monitoring.

It all prompts the following thought in my head: Are we still citizens or subjects? Put some demand that we recycle and we are supposed to bleat without thinking. Yeees, sir!

And green glass? Not worth recycling unless we're running out of sand (silicon). The last time I check they have so much of it I let my children play on veritable mountains of it in the fall by Playground Road in Moultonboro.

I believe Ralph sold his business several years ago.

[twoplustwo]

...my husband went to the dump yesterday and all they did was frisk our garbage. Seriously. He came home and said they frisked the bags.

Maybe they should install a full body scanner and make it really easy.

[Greene's Basin Girl]

Originally Posted by twoplustwo

...my husband went to the dump yesterday and all they did was frisk our garbage. Seriously. He came home and said they frisked the bags.

Maybe they should install a full body scanner and make it really easy.

Did you mean a full trash bag scanner?