DPW EVENT: Paper Shredding, Styrofoam, and Scrap Metal Collection Day on May 31

Submitted by Gretchen Carey, DPW Recycling Coordinator

On Saturday, May 31 from 9 am-12 noon the Department of Public Works will be hosting its semi-annual recycling drop off day sponsored by Allied Waste/Republic Services.

Click to view Map – Recycling Day Spring 2014

This year’s collection is one step greener with three collection vendors:

ReFoamIt for styrofoam,
Excel Recycles for scrap metal, and
Doc Shredding for paper shredding.

PAPER SHREDDING

In the past, the vendors for paper shredding have brought large trucks that ran for three hours, chewing up the paper on site. This creates hours of emissions, and uses a great deal of fuel. This year, we are going to take the more eco-friendly option to have a non-shredding truck come to our site to pick up residential paper. Each resident will get a guaranteed certificate of destruction, and watch their paper get loaded into the truck. At the end of the day the loaded truck goes back to the full security Doc Shredding facility, where the paper is then shredded with energy created from solar power and reclaimed fuel oil.

All paper shredded from the event will be recycled. Any resident with very large quantities of boxes may experience a delay in service. Staples, paper clips and small binder clips can be mixed in with paper. Metal hanging folders should be removed.

SCRAP METAL

The DPW is offering free disposal of the following materials for Bedford residents:

Aluminum (all grades); Aluminum Extrusions; Cast Aluminum; Painted Siding; Sheet Aluminum; Aluminum / Copper Radiators; Batteries (Lead Acid w/ No Cracks); Brass Plumbing Fixtures, Faucets, & Fittings; Catalytic Converters; Copper ; Electric Motors; Heater Cores; Scrap Lead; Radiators; Stainless Steel; Transmissions; Cast iron; Drum brakes and rotors.

Empty Helium, Neon, Freon, Scuba, fire extinguishers, propane tanks.

While obsolete equipment (lawnmowers, generators, snow blowers) is welcome, each absolutely MUST have fluids drained and batteries removed! Fluids should be brought to Household Hazardous Waste Day in closed containers.

NO electrical appliances or white goods will be accepted. Call Republic Services for curbside pickup of these items at 1 800 442 9006.

A complete list of accepted and rejected materials can be found at https://excelrecycle.com (look at left menu)

STYROFOAM (Extruded foam):

For the first time, the DPW will be collecting Styrofoam free of charge from residents, thanks to the ReFoamIt company.

We DO take any Foam that has the recycling symbol 6 in the triangle with PS underneath it. We are no longer able to accept plastic utensils.

Packing blocks
Produce and meat trays with the recycle symbol in the triangle (biodegradable trays do not have a recycle symbol)
Take out containers (please rinse)
Hot cups such as Dunkin’ Donuts, Honey Do and Cumberland Farms
Foam egg cartons
Trays
White insulation sheets
Packing peanuts will be accepted at some events or you may drop off packing peanuts (bagged separately from your foam) at 25 Mohawk Dr. Please call 508-8674-8723 before dropping off your items.

We Do NOT take the following

Plastic utensils
Soft foam such as pipe insulation
Foam cups infused with cardboard or paper such as McDonalds and Burger King (ice tea cup)
Biodegradable produce and meat trays
- For example, GenPak without the recycling symbol
Cardboard Egg Cartons
Soft foam pads
Food containers with plastic film attached.
- Some ground turkey comes in these containers.
Blue or Pink insulation sheets unless in full size sheets (so they can be reused )
Polypro looks like Styrofoam but has a number 5 recycle symbol and bends instead of snapping