Photo: Carts and barrels are on the way.
It was anticipated Belmont’s new automated trash and recycling collection program would be up and running by the first week in July. That was the plan developed by the town over half-a-year of preparation; it turns out the weather had other plans.
According to a Friday, July 6 press release from the Belmont Department of Public Works, the intense temperatures generated by the week-long heat wave slowed the carts distribution to a crawl.
The new deadline for all of Belmont to receive trash and recycling carts is Thursday, July 13.
“Please be patient and we appreciate your cooperation,” asked the DPW news release.
The DPW has also set the day for residents to drop off their old trash barrels: Saturday, Sept. 29, 9 a.m. to noon at the Town Yard, 37 C St.
The DPW is telling the public not to place old trash barrels or recycling bins on the curbside to be picked up. In fact, they are advising residents to use barrels that are 32-gallon or smaller as Yard Waste receptacles. The blue and green recycling bins can be used as storage or a way to bring your recycling from your house to the cart.
The town will also be accepting cardboard on Sept. 29; it will need to be cut and folded to be accepted.
Unfortunately I found out from the town that the old barrels that are dropped off to the town cannot be recycled. That means something like 5000 barrels from the 10,000 Belmont households will end up on a landfill or be toxically burned. This all could have been done a lot better for the environment and the costs for the town! A sad chapter!
I don’t see where its required that you turn in your old barrels. That is an individual choice.
If you are as concerned about the environment as your post would allude I’m positive you can come up with solutions to your predicament.
For example:Re-purpose the old barrels for use as yard waste barrels. When not in use, stack them.
Reduce – Reuse – Recycle
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