Date: Fri 16-Jan-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: DOTTIE

Quick Words:

NHS-Band-bottle-recycling

Full Text:

Dump Etiquette: `You First' and `Thank You Very Much'

(with cuts)

BY DOROTHY EVANS

You can forget Road Rage when it comes to Newtowners waiting in line to

recycle on Saturdays at the town dump.

Hundreds of the faithful, residents of all ages, come bearing their gifts of

deposit-only cans and bottles. Wearing smiles of satisfaction, they are

devoting a significant portion of their precious Saturday morning errand time

to make the weekly pilgrimage down Ethan Allen Road.

Their dual purpose is to help out the Newtown High School band program and at

the same time, show their commitment to recycling as a way of life.

Once in line, courtesy is the rule as pickup trucks and vans creep forward

around the curve and approach the ecological altar or drop-off point.

Then, after the bags, boxes and bundles of juice cans and soda bottles have

been ceremoniously handed over, the pilgrims turn around and head home.

They are always waved politely through by those still waiting in the line of

incoming cars. Nobody minds or honks or shakes an angry fist because it's all

for a such a good cause.

18-Year Success Story

This weekly recycling ritual has been going on for more than ten years now at

the dump, and for 18 years at Queen Street and Church Hill Road (every second

Saturday in the month), where it all started.

"It's a well-established program. We're here at the dump every Saturday all

year long," said BHS band parent JoAnn DiDonato.

Sharing last Saturday's dump duties with Mrs DiDonato were two other parents

who have long supported the band's fundraising program, Chet Janutolo and Ross

Carley. Mr Carley is also band publicity chairman.

"Ten years ago when I moved into town, someone said `I've got a kid in the

band and we need your bottles.' And I've been doing it ever since," he said.

The group gets three cents for every five-cent container that is turned in and

with approximately 25,000 pieces being submitted by residents each month, they

realize a profit of between $800 and $1,100 per month.

That money is then funneled directly into the Newtown High band program to

support ongoing expenses.

Hold The Cat Food Tins

As far as what can be recycled, only the cans or bottles marked "deposit" will

be accepted by the Bridgeport distribution center, Mr Carley added.

"We take three sizes of plastic bottles and we sort them as we go," said Mr

Janutolo, "but the cans are the most valuable," he added.

Some well-meaning residents still seem to think that any old can will do as

long as it is clean, empty and presentable.

"Every so often we get a huge pile of Kal-Kan cat food tins all carefully

washed with labels removed -- but they aren't redeemable. Nothing is, unless

it bears the special Connecticut recycling stamp or written notice on the

label," Mr Janutolo added.

After they receive the cans and bottles, the parent volunteers gather them in

bins or bags and store them in a large truck standing nearby that will later

be driven to Bridgeport.

Mrs DiDonato said that although there are approximately 20 "loyal workers" who

help out with both the recycling drive at the dump and the Queen Street/Church

Hill Road bottle drive, more help is always needed... especially for the

sorting.

Mr Carley and Mr Janutolo both said how much the band students and parents

appreciated Newtown residents' ongoing support of their recycling efforts.

"Keep on schlepping those bottles. It really means something!" urged Mr

Janutolo.