Recycling is the future – A historical overview
By Dalia Diaz
As the news programs cover the issue of global warming, climate change, carbon emissions, etc., there is little information being provided at the local level about the ways recycling benefits a community.
From the days when Caroline Ganley was Commissioner of Inspectional Services & Public Health Director in Lawrence (2003-2007), this city has been trying to comply although the administrations have not taken the issue very seriously. When Ms. Ganley left us due to her frustrations with the city council, it was a huge loss. Today she is an Environmental Analyst at the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.
We’ve had a few people employed as recycling coordinators through the years (not with the same qualifications as Ms. Ganley) but with the same lack of support from the administrations. Most recently, we were fortunate to bring on board Lorena Salazar (July 2018) who was an inspiring figure for her hard work and job knowledge but Lawrence salaries were not compatible with responsibilities and qualifications and in January of 2020 she left for purely economic reasons.
Things have changed in that regard because the city council has agreed to compensate employees more adequately and the new administration is placing more interest in keeping the community informed. Part of that is educating school children as well as families regarding the benefit and importance of controlling how we process our trash and make it more profitable.
Last March 2022, Rosanna Delrosario became the recycling coordinator and this past year has been a period of education and learning for her. She has been meeting with government agencies to find out how different laws apply and the consequences of not complying.
Rosanna has visited the Transfer Station in Methuen to learn about its operation and requirements and she understands the need to explain everything in clear terms to our residents to avoid fines and penalties as the only means to make them understand. Currently, fines run between $100 and $300 per incident.
“Recycling is vital for the economic health of this city. We pay millions each year for getting rid of the trash but we can sell the recycling, saving the city lots of money. It may sound simple but we need the public’s cooperation.”
According to Ms. Delrosario, “We are operating with a deficit in personnel and tools necessary to enforce recycling in Lawrence. Hopefully, a $10,000 grant we received from Waste Management for the purpose of educating the public will make a dent in that outreach.”
She is now working with the City of Methuen on a proposal to request a $1.5 million grant for infrastructure.
This department consists of Rosanna and Carlos Morel who is the Outreach Enforcement Coordinator for Recycling, according to her, one addition should be having an office assistant that can handle the telephones and residents coming looking for help or information while they are out in the field, the schools, or inspecting the neighborhoods on trash pick-up days with the help of DPW searching for violators.
She is applying for a $56,000 grant from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MADEP) that will help in expanding outreach education this year. For example, buildings with fewer than six apartments must know that the landlord will be responsible if tenants don’t follow through with proper recycling. If more than six apartments are, it is considered a business and the property owner or the management company will be fined if it’s not done correctly.
They will be distributing new recycling containers throughout the city but right now they are very expensive and Rosanna hopes that this grant will help alleviate that expense.
“If people recycle, there’s no need for overflow of their regular trash container yet, we see that they cannot even close the cover, filled with plastic bags and items that should have been separated,” Rosanna insisted.
Lawrence Housing Authority
That brings us to Lawrence Housing Authority (LHA) because they have their own system for trash pick-up with their own trucks. Upon calling its Executive Director Efraín Rolón, he explained that some 80 years ago, the Federal Government provided funds for trash removal to compensate the city for what they call a tipping fee. Then, about 30 years ago, they purchased their own trucks.
Mr. Rolón recognizes that residents need plenty of education on recycling needs and benefits. “We need to encourage them to recycle and I’ve had a couple of meetings with the city on that,” he said.
Since Housing doesn’t have a recycling truck, Efraín was asking for recycling bins to be provided and to work out how it’s to be done.
It’s in the city’s interest to get them to recycle; since Lawrence is paying for their trash removal and selling the recycled materials offsets that cost.
Rumbo will continue bringing more information, particularly in the spring about the services available at the City Yard.
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