Date: Fri 29-Aug-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: KAAREN

Quick Words:

recycling-junk-mail

Full Text:

Recycling Center Will Once Again Accept Junk Mail

After a hiatus of about nine months, junk mail recycling will begin again next

week at the recycling center at the transfer station on Ethan Allen Road.

Public Works Director Fred Hurley said 40-yard metal containers will be used

to collect the junk mail at the recycling center. A hauler will take the

filled containers to the Marcal Paper Company in New Jersey where it will be

turned into toilet paper, paper towels, napkins and other paper products.

Mr Hurley said recycling will be about $20 per ton cheaper than the $80 per

ton the town currently is paying to incinerate the junk mail with the rest of

the garbage that is hauled to the Wheelabrator facility in Bridgeport.

The town stopped recycling junk mail last year when it became impossible to

obtain the 4x4x4-foot corrugated boxes previously used for collection and

shipment. There also was a problem getting Marcal to send a tractor-trailer

truck to pick up the containers.

When Marcal provided the boxes and the truck, the town saved $60 to $70 per

ton.

"We aren't saving as much as we were before, but it will cost us less than

including the junk mail with the other solid waste - and we will be

recycling," Mr Hurley said. "The savings will go up if we can get a closer

recycler in Connecticut."

A table will be placed in front of the 40-yard container as a place for

residents to deposit their junk mail which will then be screened by transfer

station employees to make sure that it contains only those items considered

acceptable: junk mail, magazines, glossy inserts from newspapers, glassine

envelopes, office paper and similar materials. Magazines also will continue to

be collected at curbside as will newspapers.