By Christina Weiler
Sentinel Correspondent
Greenwich residents exercise their green thumbs by recycling Single Stream, an innovative twist on traditional recycling.
For the past five years, the Holly Hill Resource Recovery Facility, located on Holly Hill Lane in Greenwich, methodized the collection of all recyclables in one bin. Residents are therefore able to redefine waste disposal.
Single stream is simple. Instead of curbside blue bin and separated paper pick-ups, residents’ Single Stream bin is collected weekly by one of more than 25 waste haulers.
Acceptable materials include but are not limited to plastics numbered one through seven, cardboard, mixed paper, and glass. Although materials like medical waste are not collected, larger items like scrap metal can be brought directly to the center. It is easier than ever to customize waste disposal to fit individual needs.
Patrick Collins, Environmental Operations manager at Holly Hill, strives to make the facility as pleasant an experience as possible for residents.
“We embody a friendly approach,” Collins said. “Rather than recycling because it’s the law, we want people to feel like materials are going to be used for something else. The resources we are already using can be turned into an original product.”
Collins feels passionately that environmental awareness starts at home.
“Find designated areas throughout the house for a recycling container. Everything from shampoo bottles to cardboard tissue boxes—these should easily be put away in the Single Stream bin,” Collins said.
Five years ago, he spearheaded the initiation of Single Stream by constructing a contract. Collins enthusiastically reports that the contract covers equipment, labor, and other expenses at no cost to the town of Greenwich.
It is no secret that Single Stream reduces stress on the environment and taxpayers’ wallets. Before, the offset cost of turning in more trash was $1.2 million dollars. With Single Stream, Holly Hill gets reimbursed $7.50 for every ton of single stream recycling. The town actually makes money by selling materials that would end up in landfills.
Connecticut state officials understood these benefits of environmental awareness. According to NHRegister.com, over $35 million dollars could be saved annually if Connecticut’s recycling rate went up to just 40 percent. The majority of that sum comes from valuable recyclable commodities being thrown away.
Consequently, in 2014 Gov. Dannel P. Malloy signed Senate Bill 27, a bill designed to double the amount recycled in Connecticut over 10 years, into law. From that point forward, the state focused on raising the recycling rate from 25 percent to 60 percent.
Greenwich might just exceed these expectations. The amount recycled per household is estimated to quadruple, according to the town of Greenwich website. Some participators of single stream report the content of their waste consisting of 80 percent recyclables and 20 percent garbage.
Collins and his staff at Holly Hill are pleased by their environmental efforts.
“For us, to see our recyclable materials go out, fork-lifted into the back of a truck, that’s our finished product,” Collins said. “That’s what we do and we’re very proud of it.”
Weiler is a senior at Sacred Heart Greenwich and is also the Arts & Entertainment editor of The King Street Chronicle, Sacred Heart’s student newspaper.
