Recycling - Swap Shop must change or face closure
Back to Recycling "In The News"
(12/22/2007)
Cape’s recycling rate for November reached 23.7 percent, according to the Cape Elizabeth Recycling Committee. This is up from 22 percent in November, 2006, and from 21.26 percent in October, 2007.
According to the committee, the recycling rate has been on the rise since the town began “single-stream” recycling in May. Single-stream recycling allows residents to put all glass, metal and paper materials together in a single container, called a silver bullet. Cape’s silver bullets are currently located at both the Recycling Center and in the Town Hall parking lot.
The recycling rate is calculated by dividing the total tons of recycled material, (both the silver bullet contents and the cardboard trailer contents) by the sum of the total municipal solid waste and tons of recycled material.
The town estimates that every 1 percent increase in the town’s recycling rate saves the taxpayers $5000. The Refuse Disposal Budget for 2008 is $833,043.
To follow the town’s recycling rate on a monthly basis, check out the graph displayed at the Recycling Center or visit the Recycling Committee Web page through a recycling link on the town Web site at www.capeelizabeth.com. Links on the recycling Web page will also provide comparisons with other communities.
--Elizabeth Brogan