Let's Talk Trash, edited by Laura Dickerson

Let's Talk Trash, edited by Laura Dickerson
March 14, 2002, Column from the Lexington Minuteman

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

Many people have written/called lately asking for what might be considered a review of information that has appeared in print before. Much of this is available at the Web sites listed at the foot of the column, but not everyone uses computers.

PAYT tags can be purchased at:

DPW Admin. Office, Room 206, Town Hall;
Home Environmental, 184 Bedford St.;
Lexington Gardens, 93 Hancock St.;
Lexington Ace Hardware, 327 Woburn St.;
Seasons Four, 1265 Mass. Ave.;
Stop & Shop, 36 Bedford St.;
The Corner Store, 1752 Mass. Ave.;
Wagon Wheel Farmstand, 927 Waltham St.;
Walgreens Drug-store, 60 Bedford St.;
Wilson Farms, 10 Pleasant St.

Unsoiled egg cartons of any sort can be recycled. The paper ones go with other paper, the plastic or Styrofoam ones go with containers. Milk and juice cartons (rinsed) go with containers in the bin.

Alkaline batteries made since the mid-1990s (when mercury stopped being used in their production) can be thrown away in the regular trash. Ni-Cads, lithium, and other batteries (such as those in hearing aids and cameras) need to be treated as hazardous waste, either saved up for the next household hazardous waste collection or dropped off at Theatre Camera.

Goodwill has stopped taking old computers. There are some Boston area charities that will sometimes take working, fairly new (less than five years old) Pentium machines. Try Enabling Support Foundation at http://www. enabling.org/ or 978-369-5593, Tecschange at http://www.tecschange.org/ or 617-442-4456 or see the Web site for the Community Technology Center at http://www.ctcnet.org/.

The DPW is working to schedule a time for the next CRT (computer monitors and TVs) collection. Something will be arranged by late spring.

The composting facility on Hartwell Avenue resumes its full hours this week. The designated dumpster for corrugated cardboard is available then and residents can also bring yard waste to be composted during those same hours: Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., although the site will be closed on March 31.

Usable building materials (from unopened paint up through kitchen cabinets) can be donated to the Boston Materials Resource Center. Contact them for specifics. 617-442-8917 or http://www.bostonbmrc.org/donate.html.

Plastic bags should not go in the recycle bins.

For people interested in recycling, the Appalachian Mountain Club and The Chelsea Center for Recycling & Economic Development will present a talk explaining how recycling creates jobs, benefits local communities and businesses as well as saving resources. The March 26 talk takes place at 7 p.m. at the Parish of Saint Paul, 1135 Walnut St., Newton.

Got a question or a suggestion? You can reach us by calling the League o f Women Voters line at 781-861-0123 or by e-mail at lexrecycles@hotrnail.com. For more information, check out the SWAT Web page at http://www.lexingtonma.org/swat/HomePage.htm, the PAYT home page at http://ci.lexington.ma.us (click on the PAYT quicklink) or call the PAYT number. 781-274-7298.