HAMILTON’S CURBSIDE ORGANICS PROGRAM

Gretel Clark Recycle Committee Chair, Hamilton, MA

Town of Hamilton

30 miles north of Boston on Cape Ann

Tipping Trash $70/ton

Town of Hamilton

Semi rural, conservative, New England town (15 square miles) 2,400 households A little more than 7,000 residents

Today, Hamiltonians produce !

<.5 tons solid waste; recycling 55% of

total waste; 10.56% is composted kitchen

organic waste. !

Some Trashy Facts…

Average MA household

produces one ton of solid

waste annually!

Hamiltonians

produced 1.22 tons of

solid waste annually

before 2006!

2006: Status Quo

0

500

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3500

4000

4500

CYO6 CY07 CY08 CY09 CY10 CY11 CY12

Solid Waste Tons

Organics

Recycling Tons

2007: State’s solid waste bans implemented but not enforced.

0

500

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4500

CYO6 CY07 CY08 CY09 CY10 CY11 CY12

Solid Waste Tons

Organics

Recycling Tons

2008: Initial Waste Reduction Program

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CYO6 CY07 CY08 CY09 CY10 CY11 CY12

Solid Waste Tons

Organics

Recycling Tons

2009: First Pilot Organics Program (75 families)

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CYO6 CY07 CY08 CY09 CY10 CY11 CY12

Solid Waste Tons

Organics

Recycling Tons

2010: Second Pilot Organics Program (600 families)

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CYO6 CY07 CY08 CY09 CY10 CY11 CY12

Solid Waste Tons

Organics

Recycling Tons

2011: Continuation of second pilot

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CYO6 CY07 CY08 CY09 CY10 CY11 CY12

Solid Waste Tons

Organics

Recycling Tons

2012: New SMART Trash Program Instituted

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500

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CYO6 CY07 CY08 CY09 CY10 CY11 CY12

Solid Waste Tons

Organics

Recycling Tons

Keys to Success •  Find a hauler •  Find a composter •  Design a pilot program •  Keep good records •  Court political leaders •  Institute a PAYT program •  Gather a crew of dedicated enthusiastic unconquerable

organizers •  Establish a Trash Hot Line •  Put together a strong education program •  Implement bi-weekly solid waste collection program •  Offer free compost to participants

Lessons Learned •  People will pay for

organic collection •  Organics are ~ ½

of trash weight/hh •  Larvae in hot

summer months •  Freezing in cold

winter months •  Animal control •  Overcoming the

“ick” factor

Benefits To The Town • Trash costs can be cut in half • New bag revenue •  Longer term plans: to install an anaerobic digester on the

landfill site