UPDATED --- Major Update from this week’s Putnam Town Crier’s story --- UPDATED

Next: Recycling and All its Intricacies

By Linda Lemmon

Town Crier Editor

PUTNAM — And now on to recyclables for phase two of the conversion to the new Casella Waste trash/recycle program.

This week Casella is adding the recycle portion of the program. Recycling will be picked up every other week.

What belongs in the 95-gallon recycle cart (bin): Cardboard (broken down into 2-foot squares, max), boxboard, junk mail, periodicals and office paper (paper bags, envelopes, catalogs). Also, plastic bottles, jugs, tubs and lids including empty kitchen, laundry and bath containers and clamshells. Also aluminum and steel cans, foil and empty food and beverage cans. And finally, glass bottles and jars (empty food and beverage bottles and jars). All containers should be clean and dry.

Do not bag recyclables.

What’s not accepted? No items 2 inches or smaller, plastic bags, bagged recyclables, clothing/textiles, tanglers (hangers), scrap metal items, batteries, medical waste, food waste/liquids, electronics, hazardous materials or explosives, plastic wrap, films or tarps, wood, waste, or tires, disposal items, waxy boated paper items, ceramics or baking glass.

For recycling tips and resources, visit casella.com/RecycleBetter.

Marc Morgan, Casella’s strategic account manager – Municipal Services, said the reasoning for making sure cardboard is no larger than 2 feet is so that it will not get stuck.

The side-arm truck will pick up the cart up and flip it upside down once into the hole at the top of the truck. No shaking, no multiple emptying motions. One motion. Anything in the cart needs to fall freely into the truck.

For that same reason, Morgan said, they often see things like vinyl Venetian blinds, mop handles and scrap metal or cardboard that is too large and they get stuck.

“Some things are recyclable – they just don’t belong in the cart,” he said.

He added, “If you have to jam it in there, chances are it’s not going to fall in.”

The trash cart and the recycle cart on a flat surface at least 3 feet apart, with the front facing the road. For the arm to swing the cart to the top of the truck there should be 10 to 12 feet of clearance from tree branches, etc. Morgan said many people put the trash cart on one side of the driveway and the recycle cart on the other side of the driveway. The carts should be clear of snow, landscaping, mail boxes and utility poles.

Morgan said they’ve found that some people do indeed put 3 feet between the two carts but one of the carts, on its other side, might be right next to a mail box.

Three feet allows the “fingers” of the side arm to latch properly to the “lifting handle.”

Morgan said in Putnam the same truck will be used for trash and for recyclables. The truck will do its route picking up trash, go unload it and then return to collect the recyclables. So if you see your trash gone but the recycles are still in the cart, hang on, they’re coming back for it.

If you have any questions for Casella the phone number for service is 860-423-4527.

What About Bulky Waste?

The town’s Bulky Waste Collection will be May 18 at the Putnam Armory; and Aug. 17and Oct. 26 at the Putnam Middle School. No charge — you just need to show residency. Highway Superintendent Travis Sirrine had said in January the town is looking into a transfer station that would take all waste except household garbage, but that’s sometime, perhaps, in the future.