This biweekly column tries to answer some of the most commonly asked questions about recycling, composting and the Town's solid waste program.

Q: I went to the compost facility on Hartwell Avenue to pick up one of the new compost bins the town sells and the attendant there was bemoaning the fact that some people who drop off their yard waste don't follow the rules. Exactly what are we supposed to do?
A: The rules are simple: the yard waste you drop off must be in biodegradable brown kraft bags or loose - no plastic bags, not tied up into bundles. The brush (bushes, branches) should be no thicker than 1" in diameter to be included with the leaves and grass clippings - otherwise it must be put in the separate pile. For people who don't know, the town sells two varieties of compost bins for $21.00 each. Payment is made at the DPW barn on Bedford Street but you must take your receipt to Hartwell Avenue to pick up the actual bin.

Q: I have a broken TV that I'd like to get rid of. I remember something about not putting it in the trash can. Do we put it out like big appliances (refrigerators, etc.)?
A: Because CRTs (cathode ray tubes) used in TVs and computer monitors contain lead there is now a statewide ban on disposing them in landfills and incinerators, so they cannot be put in the trash. If your TV or monitor is in working condition, it can be donated to Goodwill. The town is arranging for a drop-off site for non-working CRTs. Details should be available towards the end of July. Please just hold on to it until then.

Q: Our office would like to recycle the photocopy paper, but the town won't pick it up. What should we do?
A: KTI, the company that deals with the town's recyclables after Waste Management collects them, has arrangements with many businesses. They are happy to have office quality paper, and if you generate as much as ten barrels worth, they will pick it up for free. Possibly you and other businesses could get together if you don't put out this much, or you could make a special arrangement with KTI. Call (617) 242-7746 and speak to Steve Vellucci.

Q: There was a lot of publicity recently about the ban on production of the insecticide Dursban. Does this mean we can't put it in the trash anymore?
A: Insecticides (Dursban plus many others) should be taken to the hazardous waste collection site on Hartwell Avenue. The next scheduled date is July 29th. Dursban, the product name for the organophosphate chlorpyriphos, is now thought to harm the nervous system of exposed people). Dursban (and the agricultural product Lorsban) have been extensively sold both for home and professional use, including in the Lexington schools until ten years ago, at which time they changed to Integrated Pest Management (see below). Check the ingredients on any insecticides you might have at home. They may be only the first of a number of products to be banned, as the EPA is reviewing the toxicity of some pesticides that have been around for a while. Now might be a good time to take the pesticides you have sitting around to the hazardous waste drop-off and start trying Integrated Pest Management (IPM). IPM focuses on preventing pest problems before they occur, ongoing monitoring of pests, identifying environmental/structural conditions that encourage infestation (i.e., poor sanitation, structural problems etc), using least-toxic methods (pheromone traps, boric acid ant traps etc), and if all else fails and the benefits outweigh the risks, using "lower risk" pesticides in ways that limit human exposure.

Got a question? You can reach us by calling the League of Women Voters line at 861-0123 or by email at lexrecycles@hotmail.com. For more information, check out the SWAT web page at http://www.lexingtonma.org/swat/HomePage.htm