In Andover:
can one recycle biweekly?
will recyclables be collected, including dates and streets?
does one dispose of special materials?
is it important for Andover to recycle?

Recycling Committee:
Tony Connell
Candy Dann
Don Gottfried
Marya Lundgren
Alanna McKee
Jan Niebudek
Glenn Rogers
Scott Stecher

Public Works:
Jack Petkus, Director
Sandy Gerraughty

978-623-8350

"Chalk up another for me," says Rennie Recycling to Trevor Trash!

Once again Andover has proven that it is not only environmentally but also fiscally responsible in terms of how it disposes of its trash. Last year (fiscal year ended June 30, 2007), the amount of trash collected from the curbside decreased, as it has in each of the last five years. At the same time, the amount of recyclable waste stayed fairly constant, within a range of 3,600 to 3,800 tons a year. Hence, the proportion of recycable collections as a portion of the whole increased from 21% in 2003 to 25% last year.

The participation rate for households recycling also increased consistently, from 81.5% to 87.5% during the last three years – those for which these statistics were kept.

The costs associated with the curbside collections present a more variable pattern than do the actual amounts collected.

Notes: The significant reduction in disposal costs that occurred in 2006 was the result the expiration of the Northeast Solid Waste Contract.

These figures do not include data for the special recycling events – household hazardous waste collection, “crts” collection, and curbside leaf collection in the spring and fall. The effects of these events will be discussed later in this analysis.

Despite the demise of the NESWC, new conditions relative to disposal foretell of rising costs for disposal of solid waste trash. The increase from $588,500 to $822,700 from 2006 to 2007, a forty percent change, needs to be addressed. The options to do so are very limited, since they are dictated by a single source supplier, the regional facility. Fortunately, the hauling costs increased by only three percent. Total costs rose eighteen percent.

In comparison, recycling costs remain a real bargain for the Town, rising only four percent last year, consistent with the average annual changes since 2003.  Moreover, recycling costs average $102 per ton, compared to solid waste trash at $151.  

Viewed in terms of the effect on the individual taxpayer, we have:

One can conclude that it costs the taxpayers far less to recycle than it does to dispose of those materials through solid waste trash collection.  If one presumed that the .27 tons per household that was recycled had ended up in the solid waste instead of recycling, and everything else remained equal, then the Town would have had to spend $13.25 more a year per household or $185,000 more for the 14,000 households a year to collect everything.  With the cost of trash collection rising much faster than that of recyclables, the savings in the future could be even greater. Recycling definitely pays not only in support of a cleaner environment, but also economically.

The results of the special events -- household hazardous waste, crt/electronics and leaf collection alter the overall picture somewhat.  Data at hand covers only the last five years. The Town spent $28,800 in FY07 to dispose of  13.4 tons of  HHW at an average cost of $2,150 per ton.  These collections have declined 31% over the years, while the costs have risen.  The cost of collection and disposition of CRTs has increased from $27,000 to $36,000 while the amount collected has been fairly stable, at about 75 tons per year.  Composting costs have more than doubled to $39,900, while the tonnage has held steady at 870.  Still, the average cost of $45 a ton is considerably better than one of the alternatives, solid waste collection at $151 per ton. It would be unwise to draw any other conclusions about the special events other than they are much more costly than curbside trash and recyclable collections but are justifiable because disposing of them through incineration either at a plant or on the home site, as in the case of leaves,  where possible, would be either unsafe or unhealthy, or both.  The Townspeople are wise to spend what is necessary to avoid the hazards.  Call it a form of safety and health protection, and sound public responsibility to ourselves and our neighbors.

Recycling Goal: A national standard suggests that 35% of collections should be recycled materials. Andover can close the gap between the current level of 25% and the standard by continuing the trend of trash reduction and increasing recycling. However, there is reason to begin to think that Andover is reaching a plateau where much more additional recycling is harder to achieve. Nevertheless, continued attention to more recycling remains an important goal, both economically and environmentally.  The Town is achieving significant results but needs to continue to move forward.

-- Glenn Rogers
August, 2007

Source of all data: Andover Department of Public Works