Tag: recycling

The Garrett County commissioners on Tuesday unanimously approved three amendments to the county’s 10-year Solid Waste Management and Recycling Plan (2004–2014). As required by the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), the new regulations pertain to methods for recycling in public schools, recycling light bulbs, and recycling electronics.

Manager Dave Baker, Garrett County Department of Solid Waste and Recycling, noted that though the amendments are new state requirements, his department has already implemented them.

“They’ve been up and running for some time,” Baker said.

Kim Madigan noted that one of her first jobs as recycling coordinator for Garrett County was to start a school program.

“We’ve been recycling since 2005 in our schools,” she said.

Working in conjunction with school and board of education personnel, Madigan said it took her a little over a year to get the initiative up and running. She described the end result as “excellent.”

“I’m very proud of that program,” Madigan said.

The 10-year plan calls for Garrett County schools to collect, but are not limited to collecting, #1 and #2 plastics, cardboard, mixed paper, tin cans, aluminum cans, magazines, and newspaper. The Board of Education is responsible for picking up the materials biweekly from each school.

Garrett College is also required to collect office paper, #1 plastics, aluminum cans, toner cartridges, light bulbs, motor oil, tires, and batteries.

Madigan said her department also came up with a strategy to collect fluorescent light bulbs (4-inch lamps, 8-inch lamps, and U-tubes), compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs), and non PCB ballasts for recycling. That program has been in place since May 2010.

Currently the program is limited to individuals (Garrett County residents), not businesses. In addition, because of potential mercury exposure, bulbs (unbroken) are only accepted at the county landfill. The bulbs must be given to a landfill employee, who then places them in a properly ventilated 10-foot by 10-foot shed. The materials are stored in the MDE approved shed until they are ready for shipment to a recycling contractor for processing and recycling.

In the event of bulb breakage, landfill staff must contact MDE and follow guidelines set forth in the Mercury Spill Emergency Response Manual.

Baker indicated that it is currently cost prohibitive for the county to construct bulb collection sheds at all of the county’s refuse collection sites.

The county has also been accepting electronics for recycling for several years. This initiative started as a pilot program through a grant from MDE. Madigan noted that electronics are accepted at four of the county’s refuse collection/recycling sites.

More information about recycling in Garrett County is available at garrettcounty.org or by calling Madigan at 301-387-0322.

More here.

State requires program needed for schools, fluorescent light bulbs

From Staff Reports Cumberland Times-News

OAKLAND — The Garrett County commissioners will hold a public hearing on proposed amendments to the county’s 10-year Solid Waste Management Plan on March 5, according to a news release.

Amendments for recycling electronics, fluorescent light bulbs and recycling in public schools will be discussed. Although a program for recycling the items is already in place, it has never been adopted formally into the plan, according to Dave Baker, manager of the Garrett County Department of Solid Waste And Recycling. State law requires counties to have a plan that has been formally adopted, according to the news release.

The Maryland Department of the Environment requires that a recycling program be provided for schools and fluorescent light bulbs; the county is adding the recycling of electronics into the plan, said Baker.

In accordance with MDE regulations, counties are required to conduct a public hearing prior to amending their Solid Waste Management plans.

“There is a growing concern regarding the disposal of computers, electronics, covered electronic devices and video display devices in landfills,” said the news release. “These devices can contain hazardous materials such as lead, mercury and hexavalent chromium in circuit boards, batteries and cathode ray tubes.”

A program for the separate collection of electronics from residents, municipalities and businesses is needed to reduce the quantity of the electronics being sent to the landfill. A program may include computers and monitors, laptops, TVs, PDAs, peripherals, telephones, printers, fax machines, copiers, VCRs, camcorders, DVD players, CD players, calculators, typewriters and cell phones, according to the news release.

The county plans to use funding from grants or the solid waste and recycling enterprise fund budget to operate a permanent collection program for electronics.

“A permanent program should be initiated at one refuse and recycling collection site in Garrett County,” states the news release.

If funding is not available for a permanent program, annual one-day events to collect electronics for recycling will be planned if its economically feasible.

The county has a fluorescent, compact fluorescent and non-PCB ballast recycling program and plan in place, which has been approved by MDE. The department plans to use enterprise funds also to operate a collection program for residents for those items. The recycling program is free to county residents, however this may or may not change based on market conditions, according to the news release.

Immediately upon collection, all fluorescent bulbs, tubes and non-PCB ballasts will be placed directly into prepaid mailing containers provided by an independent recycling contractor; this method of storage will eliminate breakage, according to the news release. When the containers are full, they will be sent to the recycling contractor for processing.

All county public schools and Garrett College have recycling plans in place and are participating in a recycling program.

The board of education is responsible for scheduling the pickup of all recycling materials from each school in the public school system.

Copies of the language contained in the amendment and the proposed resolution are available for public review at the Ruth Enlow Library, county commissioners office, and the landfill. The information is also available at www.co.garrett.md.us.

More here.