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05/18/2021 TSC Minutes

TOWN OF BETHLEHEM
2155 Main Street
Bethlehem, NH 03574

Transfer Station Committee Zoom meeting

May 18, 2021

Present: Nancy Stand, Barry Zitser, Andrea Bryant, Chris Jensen, Julie Seely, Stephen Yancey , Betsey Phillips

Absent:  Katherine Darges and Chris McGrath

Public:  Margret Gale, Angel Larcom

The selectboard appointed Stephen Yancey and Betsey Phillips to the committee. We want to be sure they are on the email chain.  Chris J. will let Nicole know.

Barry: Update on NRRA May 10-11 (Northeast Resource Recovery Association) a new england wide organization recycling conference.  Three take aways recycling market is rebounding and bringing in more revenue.  There are more options for recyclables to go. Glass price is still is weak. Another options crush it and use it as drainage or highway base.  Highest prices are when recyclables are separated.  You get a higher grade of purity.  You also get a higher price for aluminum and steel when separated.

Plastic update don’t have to take caps off because caps get lost through a grate and go into landfill. When left on the bottles the caps can be separated out more easily.

Home Depot and Lowes will take back plastic pots from plants they sell them in and then recycle them.  They don’t advertise it but have this service.

Barry: Update on lawsuits:  CLF against commissioner of DES that they hadn’t updated the State plan. It was dismissed by the court on May 14  .Challegne against commissioner of NHDES.  It dismisses the lawsuit on failure to exhaust administrate issues and wasn’t right for court.  There are pending applications proceedings before council on landfill.  If they win they don’t need to win.  And the on to Dalton is in infancy so remedy could be before DES. They are not obligated to issue a decision.

Grafton Superior Court against NCES.  DES intervened in this one. Court denied the injunction to prevent Stage VI going forward while CLF pursues appeal is with Waste Management Council.  It should go to an administrative agency.

Nancy: Just Be Greener:  Issue 2 wasn’t put on Bethlehem Chat because attaching a PDF didn’t work.  Julie said she converts to jpeg conversion website and posts that.

Next issue: Where to take food waste to be composted.  And benefits of it.

interview Meadowstone Farm and Bridget at Bent Fork Farm. (she also takes food waste)

Nancy interviewed Tim.   Barry interviewed Bridget this morning.   They asked Tim and Nancy six questions.

Andrea suggested that we have a subcommittee to work on and do the edits of the Just Be Greener flier in order to expediate the process.

Barry suggests that we let the farmers see the issue before we publish it.   Chris J.  thinks that we should have the whole committee should approve the final.

Tim has a farm bucks program that gives a discount.   Its too much trouble to track who drops off compost to give a discount.

Barry motioned to set up a sub-committee to edit and help finalize newsletter to be presented to whole committee. The sub-committee will consist of Nancy Strand, Barry Zitser and Margaret Gale and Betsey Phillips.  seconded by Stephen all in favor.

Textile recycling bins.   Did Selectboard approve?   Chris J.  said that the Selectboard needs more info.   Nancy will go to meeting next Monday to answer SB questions. Question is where to put the bin.   They are supposed to pick up weekly.  Company is apparel unlimited.  They will take all things.  Usable and non-useable items.    Julie wonders if there is a place to put the bi that has surveillance to be sure it is used correctly and if not we can figure out who it is.   If it is going to BES the School Board would have to decide that, not the Select Board.   The group is “Apparel Unlimited.”

46 on zoom

 

Book drop off:  Nancy connected Laura at the Library and the gentleman who wants to pick up the books.  They are coming up to a plan and will let Nancy know when it is decided.   He will never take a book to the landfill.

Barry,   NH the Beautiful getting signs for transfer station.  Our first set we got last year are in Chris’s garage.   Barry suggests that Stephen Yancey looks at them and makes suggestions for what we may be helpful.  Nancy will send info to Steve who is willing to take a look.  Deadline is October 1.

Pay as you throw options.

  1. Bag system most communities use
  2. Sticker system. Barry spoke to New London uses this.   More to identify who is resident than revenue raising.
  3. Punch card system…. Londonderry in VT uses this system. Punch cards do cover cost of waste disposal.  Three cards by private printer attendant has hole puncher.  $2 a bag and a special bulk punch card.  People by cards ahead…5 punch card costs $10.    Betsey sees problems with punch cards cause they could be in the car of another member of the family.

 

Vermont has to have a tax neutral system to cover solid waste but not recycling.

Public participation.   Margaret Gale.   Report on NPR publicized today on Minderoo Report that the US is number 1 in producing single use plastic.

She would like to see this committee bring attention to single use plastic.

Exxon and Dow Chemical

Nancy mentioned Jon Oliver talk on single use plastic.

 

Margaret mentioned that Yes! Magazine is a progressive magazine.  Current issue is about plastic and single use containers.

 

Steve,  ideally get manufacturers to pay for the waste in packaging. Need to put pressure on manufactures to reduce the waste.  Barry: it will require legislature.  Like bottle bill.   Plastic comes from oil waste.  When recycling comes profitable then trash companies will be behind it.

 

Raise the consciousness of people so they are more careful about what they buy so that it isn’t wasteful.

 

Approval of minutes of April 20, 2021

Barry motioned to accept. Chris seconded  all in favor.

 

Other business:

Barry,  last time we were preparing bids for equipment and the transfer station was in 2009.   Maybe we should form a subcommittee to come up with the new equipment and get a cost estimate.  To discuss next meeting.

Barry will send Stephen the information that we had gathered in the past.

 

Next meeting date. Tuesday June 22.  6:30

 

Are we going to stay zoom or go to live meetings?  When is the executive order going to end?   Next meeting will be zoom.  Then will revisit.

Barry moved to adjourn.    Andrea seconded   all in favor.