The graph shows the tonnage for trash and recycling in October 2001 (under PAYT) And last month. It's worrisome that the amount of trash is so much higher. One possible explanation for the rise in recycling is the weekly collection, which did not start until 2002.

Under the Massachusetts waste management regulations, recycling cardboard (and other paper products) is a requirement, not an option. There seems to be a lot of confusion in Lexington about how to recycle cardboard. Maybe a good place to start would be with a definition. Cereal, cracker and tissue boxes, the cylindrical core inside paper towel or toilet paper !rolls, and so forth are called chipboard or paperboard, and all should go in with your regular paper (either in a specific paper recycling bin or in the paper bag with your paper). flatten the item and remove any plastic or foil liners. Pizza boxes are also often made from chip board but are not considered recyclable because they are often soiled. Cake boxes or other food containers can pose a similar problem, and should be put into the trash.

Packing boxes are made from corrugated cardboard, the stuff that is three layers with the middle part being wavy. These are stronger, tougher to fold down, and when folded sometime unfold themselves. The unfolded pieces can jam the compacting part of the truck and it is difficult and dangerous for the workers to unclog it. This also happens on the occasions that the truck workers try to go ahead and take unfolded/uncut boxes, the compactor is not designed to smash whole boxes. This is why the workers on the truck need to have corrugated cut to flat pieces that will fit inside the bins on the side of the truck. This is 30 inches on a side maximum. If you have pieces small enough to fit inside your recycle bin, you can add them to your paper. If there are many, or if you cut them to exactly 30 inches so they are too big for your bin, tie them together and place them next to the bin curbside. If you have no experience cutting down boxes, the easiest way is to get a box cutter from a hardware store. It's good to remove tape, but not as urgent as cutting the pieces to the right size.

If you really want to just flatten but not cut your boxes, there is a designated cardboard-only dumpster at the compost facility on Hartwell Avenue. Its hours are weekdays: 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., weekends in November from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. From December throughout the winter, open weather permitting. Call 781-861-2757.

As the season for buying gifts and giving parties approaches, it's good to think about how to avoid wasteful packaging, throwaway party goods, and so forth. Here are some suggestions for having a good holiday without generating so much trash. Try to buy things to start with that have minimal packaging. If you plan to mail parcels, try to buy presents that can be safely shipped without much added padding or huge amounts of tape.

Reuse packing material. If you have too many Styrofoam peanuts, you can drop them off at Mailboxes, etc., on Waltham Street and they will use them.

Reuse wrapping paper, or use newspaper comics, children's school artwork etc. If you buy new wrapping paper, try to get that with recycled content, and make sure it is paper. If it gets too torn to save and use again, it can be recycled if it is not foil, plastic, or mylar. The decorative bags that are available can be used many times - store them after the presents are exchanged and use them again next year.

If you are hosting a party, try to carefully calculate the amount of food needed so that there won't be much to throw away, consider borrowing or renting glasses and utensils instead of using disposable ones, and encourage people to carpool to your house.