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New recycling bins arrive
New Lowell recycling bin
Our brand new recycling bin arrived last week. It’s green with a green cover and it was delivered by a small crew from the back of a rental truck. The new recycling system starts in January. Since I have a green cover, my recyclables will be picked up during the first week in January. Because nothing is simple, our regular trash pickup day, Thursday, will be pushed to Friday because the New Years Day holiday falls in the midst of that week. For more information about the program and to view a calendar indicating which week your recycling bin will be picked up (it depends on whether you have a green or a blue cover), check out the city of Lowell Solid Waste and Recycling Page.
Recycling bin (left) vs trash bin (right)
Recycling bins being delivered
There is an app called Lowell R-R-R that you can download for the iphone (I’m not sure about Android) that will send push notifications letting you know what can be put out when. I’m pretty excited because I know I’ll never remember which are my recycling weeks. I hope the City also considers adding the special (hazardous waste, etc.) days to the app – I have quite the collection of CFLs and batteries to dispose of but can never keep track of when I can bring them.
I’ve already gotten into the habit of putting out my recyclables (a barrel for cans and bottles and the green box for paper) every other week so I don’t expect too much trouble in remembering when to put the green thing out. You are correct about greater education and opportunities to dispose of the stuff that can’t go into the regular recycling bin. The easier it all gets, the more likely people will be to comply.
With the separate recycling I have the habit of bagging newspapers, magazines, and other paper in a paper bag before loading it into the bin. Whether it really helps or not, it leaves me with the impression that these fragile paper products are contained, and more easily separated at the recycling center.
With the new, automated, pick-up of single stream recycling, it doesn’t seem there is any value in separately packing these paper products. It saves that task on the consumer end, but may complicate the task at the recyclers end. However, the closed bin provides a benefit in that the paper is kept dry in inclement weather, unlike the open bins that sometimes get rained on while awaiting pick-up.
I’m an avid recycler, but have 2 bins and pack them very neatly and tightly so I’ve typically only had to put them out once a month. I know I’ll have trouble remembering if it’s “my week” or a “bye week”, which will be an inconvenience but not a tragedy. My comment is that I’m a young(ish) middle-aged person with a disability and it was a struggle for me to push the large EMPTY bin from the curb where it was dropped off to my pin “parking lot”. An independent, active but elderly neighbor struggled even more with the same issue. It’ll likely be worse when they are full and I wonder how the more frail elderly will manage. I’m all for saving our earth and minimizing our trash stream, though, so forward we go.