Provincetown Recycling and Renewable Energy Committee

Minutes from 11 July 2007, 6:20pm, Judge Walsh Meeting Room, Town Hall

Attending:  Ghee Patrick, Mike Leger, Jim Denietolis, Amy Germain, Lee Bartell, plus Pru from the Banner

Previous Minutes:  Approved unanimously

Promise Land TV:  We agreed to invite Catherine Russo to our next meeting, on the 25th

Transfer Station:  Jim reported that the town's new recycling contract with Integrated Paper Recyclers, is up and running, with the plastic compactor functioning, and the paper one arriving soon.  Because Pru has already written an article about our committee, another isn't possible at this time.  Mike agreed to write a letter to the editor, spelling out the new situation, and would send a draft to us first. 

Commercial Recycling:  Brian Carlson, Health Inspector, is sending a letter to all businesses and haulers, spelling out our recycling rules and guidelines, plus will include a copy of the Town's new recycling/trash brochure.

Recycling Bins:  Our 6 original ones are on the street, with more appearing, set up by others.  Kathy Reno wants some for the Aquarium Mall.  Mike supplied cardboard recycling bins to the Portuguese Festival.  Peter, at the Transfer Station, wants to create a table, with rails, to sort the bins, as some folks are still using them for trash.  "Mass Recycles" is a program that the MA DEP is sponsoring in a grant-making workshop which Mike will attend in August in Yarmouth.  Edith Mello is the contact for it.  Amy mentioned that our acting Assistant Town Manager writes grants, and it would make sense to talk to her.

Cape & Islands Renewable Energy Program:  A rep from them, Mike, Town Manager Lynn, and Brian Carlson will all be at a collaborative meeting on the 26th, the day after our next meeting on the 25th.

Plastic Bags:  How can we recycle them?  They clog up the compactor, so can't go there.  The GU has a bin for them, but are they really recycling them?  What use can they be put to?  Lee uses them to pack parcels to ship.  She uses her daily newspaper bags, and all other plastic bags, as packing material.

Cape Light Compact:  Heather Wishik is our town rep to the Compact, and said that there is money available to town to pay 100% to re-light town buildings.  We'll apply for this next year.  So far, the DPW, Grace Gouveia building, and the Community Center have all been done.

Our own electric company?: Barnstable is in a pilot program to set up its own municipal electric company, to make it easier to enhance wind, solar, etc.

Commercial Recycling Laws:  In our commercial establishment recycling bylaws, Pt.4, Article 6, Section 3, states that food related businesses must have waste and recycling containers within 5 feet of (not sure what the next word is).

Solid Waste Recycling Laws:  Pt. 6, Article 7, says that recycling materials must be separated from trash.  Haulers are a problem, if they pick up here, and take their haul elsewhere.  If they are licensed to operate in town, then must they comply with our rules, if they take their load to another town?

A Question:  Our recycling/trash pick up rules state that we can have 1 recycling bin, and 2 32-gallons trash cans.  Shouldn't it be the other way around, that we have 2 recycling bins, and one trash can?  Our contract with Integrated Paper is free for recyclables; we only pay to get rid of trash.  So it makes sense to recycle as much as possible, and throw away, into the trash, as little as possible.

New Committee Members:  Anna Carter is now an Alternate, and we need one more.  Any ideas?

Meeting adjourned at 7:20pm

Next Meeting:  Wednesday, 25 July, 6:00pm, Town Hall

minutes submitted by Lee Bartell