HAMILTON’S CURBSIDE ORGANICS PROGRAM
Gretel Clark Recycle Committee Chair, Hamilton, MA
Town of Hamilton
30 miles north of Boston on Cape Ann
Tipping Trash $70/ton
Town of Hamilton
Semi rural, conservative, New England town (15 square miles) 2,400 households A little more than 7,000 residents
Today, Hamiltonians produce !
<.5 tons solid waste; recycling 55% of
total waste; 10.56% is composted kitchen
organic waste. !
Some Trashy Facts…
Average MA household
produces one ton of solid
waste annually!
Hamiltonians
produced 1.22 tons of
solid waste annually
before 2006!
2006: Status Quo
0
500
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3500
4000
4500
CYO6 CY07 CY08 CY09 CY10 CY11 CY12
Solid Waste Tons
Organics
Recycling Tons
2007: State’s solid waste bans implemented but not enforced.
0
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4500
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Solid Waste Tons
Organics
Recycling Tons
2008: Initial Waste Reduction Program
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CYO6 CY07 CY08 CY09 CY10 CY11 CY12
Solid Waste Tons
Organics
Recycling Tons
2009: First Pilot Organics Program (75 families)
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4500
CYO6 CY07 CY08 CY09 CY10 CY11 CY12
Solid Waste Tons
Organics
Recycling Tons
2010: Second Pilot Organics Program (600 families)
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CYO6 CY07 CY08 CY09 CY10 CY11 CY12
Solid Waste Tons
Organics
Recycling Tons
2011: Continuation of second pilot
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CYO6 CY07 CY08 CY09 CY10 CY11 CY12
Solid Waste Tons
Organics
Recycling Tons
2012: New SMART Trash Program Instituted
0
500
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4500
CYO6 CY07 CY08 CY09 CY10 CY11 CY12
Solid Waste Tons
Organics
Recycling Tons
Keys to Success • Find a hauler • Find a composter • Design a pilot program • Keep good records • Court political leaders • Institute a PAYT program • Gather a crew of dedicated enthusiastic unconquerable
organizers • Establish a Trash Hot Line • Put together a strong education program • Implement bi-weekly solid waste collection program • Offer free compost to participants
Lessons Learned • People will pay for
organic collection • Organics are ~ ½
of trash weight/hh • Larvae in hot
summer months • Freezing in cold
winter months • Animal control • Overcoming the
“ick” factor
Benefits To The Town • Trash costs can be cut in half • New bag revenue • Longer term plans: to install an anaerobic digester on the
landfill site