8:30am, Lilian Gade Room at the DCA.
Cliff van Voorhees and Carolyn Bayne will discuss the challenges of recycling in Darien.
Introductory slide show.
Examples of what should and should not be in single stream recycling:
Click below to see what’s allowed and not allowed in Darien Single Stream. Just because it isn’t listed here, doesn’t mean it can’t be recycled – there are separate areas for paint, lightbulbs, batteries, electronics, tires, appliances, food waste, metal, large plastic, yard waste, mattresses, clothes, corrugated, plastic bags, construction debris, … And the Swap Shop is a way to recycle usable stuff. (Or gain more clutter you don’t really want.) You can also pick up shredded mulch, leaf compost, and sometimes food compost.
2019_Darien_Single_Stream_Recycling_(Full_List)
A tour of City Carting Recycling Center. (hover over picture to stop scrolling)
Commercial Haulers
The haulers separate trash from SSR, even though many people seem to think they do not. I believe they do for two main reasons:
- it’s the law and their licenses could be revoked if they are found in violation;
- Darien charges haulers to tip MSW but not SSR. Free tipping of SSR is an incentive to separate – and recycle – SSR. We are one of the few remaining municipalities that continues to get paid for SSR, but that could change when our contract is renegotiated.
It’s also worth noting that the haulers are only required to recycle what goes in the blue bin (ie our SSR list); many of the other items we recycle (ie batteries, light bulbs, e-waste, paint, etc.) must be brought to our facility. We ALWAYS recommend that residents who employ a hauler also get a dump sticker so that they can recycle these additional materials; their permits are priced much lower to account for the fact that they are primarily bringing recyclables and not regular household trash. Note that Seniors can get a free permit.
CT’s problem with waste from “Hartford Current:”
https://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-news-ct-outofstate-trash-disposal-20191228-hprk52k2hjbzlj7xz2lztug74q-story.html
Economics and Science of Recycling from “Popular Mechanics” (note date is 2008 before China’s ban on imports):
https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/environment/a3752/4291566/
Problems with Recycling in Asia from the “Financial Times:”
https://www.ft.com/content/360e2524-d71a-11e8-a854-33d6f82e62f8
Micro-plastics and their effects on humans from “The Conversation:”
https://theconversation.com/we-are-guinea-pigs-in-a-worldwide-experiment-on-microplastics-97514
Recycling facts from Recycle Across America:
https://www.recycleacrossamerica.org/recycling-facts
CT’s Policies from the CT Mirror.
https://ctmirror.org/2020/02/17/is-connecticuts-outdated-recycling-system-in-line-for-an-overhaul/?utm_source=Connecticut+Mirror+Mailing+List&utm_campaign=b6d6010e90-DAILY_BRIEFING_MORNING&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_571d22f8e4-b6d6010e90-68155097