Sept. 7, 2011 – Chelmsford, Mass., received more than $600,000 in grant funding for environmental cleanup work at a brownfield site in the city. The money for the project came from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. EPA.
The city will use the money to prepare the former Silicon Transistor Corporation site for future development. Work on the site includes the removal of hazardous materials, asbestos abatement and the demolition of a building. The next steps include further testing and assessment to determine the extent of necessary cleanup work of soil and groundwater.
For more information please see “State Announces $600,000 in Grants for Katrina Road Brownfield Site“
Massachusetts’ bottle bill may be updated to include deposit fees to non carbonated beverages and redirect unclaimed deposits to help fund local recycling programs.
In July the state’s lawmakers heard more than a dozen bills proposing to change Massachusetts’ 30-year-old container deposit system, including one that would place deposit fees on nearly all beverages.
Redemption centers would also receive a one-cent increase in their handling fees under the proposals. The centers now receive 2.25 cents per container, and have not seen an increase since 1991. The bill proposes a 3.25-cent fee, which would be reassessed periodically.
The current deposit system charges consumers five cents on every bottle or can of soft drink, mineral water, beer or other malt beverage.
Click here to see the link to the Massachusetts Bottle Bill
Office Depot is launching a new electronic waste recycling program in schools and classrooms in the North East.
The Recycling Rules program will place collection boxes for commonly used products inside schools, collecting products like ink and toner cartridges, rechargeable batteries and small electronics like mobile phones.
When full, the pre-addressed and postage paid boxes can be mailed back to Office Depot; after processing, the company will send a gift card in an amount based on the value of the recyclables inside back to the classroom.
If you are interested in getting your school involved in the program visit www.myschoolrecycles.com.
Long Beach, California has become the 8th community to enact a plastic bag ban this year in LA county, bringing the number of bans in the United States to 22. This ban is for grocery stores and pharmacies with at least 10,000 square feet or annual sales of $2 million or more
Two communities in the Washington, D.C area have a 5-cent tax on plastic and paper carryout bags.
When will this be coming to Boston?
The National Solid Wastes Management Association has created a new safety brochure designed to help educate the public about the dangers that garbage collectors face from other drivers when collecting trash and recyclables.
The National Solid Wastes Management Association worked with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services to create the brochure Click here to download the flyer
The flier is part of the industry´s Slow Down to Get Around program aimed at motorist awareness for safety when driving near garbage trucks.
Also there is a new Facebook page to promote the Slow Down to Get Around program, click here to view.
As the Boston Bruins gear up for a critical Game 4 on Friday the NHL announced they will divert 100 tons of food waste from landfills.
The NHL is excited that all of its teams have worked with a new program called “Rock and Wrap It Up!” to pack up all prepared, but untouched concession food on game nights for redistribution to local shelters.
The Rangers, Islanders, Devils and Sabres combined will move 14 tons of food waste from reaching landfill while providing 21,000 meals to local food banks with this program thus far.
The league-wide total is expected to exceed 105 tons for the season.
