Recycling Committee
The Recycling Committee benefits the community and the environment by supporting the recycling functions of the transfer station and encouraging effective recycling by the community to reduce the quantity of solid waste disposal.
Contact
Phone: 978-772-8220
Fax: 978-772-8222
Office of the Board of Selectmen
Ayer Town Hall
1 Main Street
Ayer MA 01432
Meetings
Members
Laurie Sabol - Chair
Susan Tordella-Williams
Announcements
Quarterly Meeting - Join us for our quarterly meeting on 08/25/09 from 7pm to 9pm in Town Hall, Conference Room A.
Discussion topics will include plans for America Recycles Day (November 15) and revising our website. We're always happy for new members or visitors.
Quarterly Meeting - Join us for our quarterly meeting on 08/25/09 from 7pm to 9pm in Town Hall, Conference Room A.
Discussion topics will include plans for America Recycles Day (November 15) and revising our website. We're always happy for new members or visitors.
The Transfer Station has begun accepting plastics #3-7 on a trial basis. Help the trial become permanent by being careful to deposit your 1s and 2s in the proper bins as always. And please don’t put Styrofoam in with the plastic.
Thanks to transfer station foreman John Gamelin, recycling coordinator Laurie Milan and DPW superintendent Dan Nason for coordinating this important effort.
Thanks to transfer station foreman John Gamelin, recycling coordinator Laurie Milan and DPW superintendent Dan Nason for coordinating this important effort.
'Clean Ayer' the Annual town wide litter pick up was a huge success. Click here to learn more.
Links
America Recycles Day - every year on November 15.
Earth911 - find out where to recycle that hard-to-recycle
Earth Day - every year on April 22.
Green Team - an interactive educational program that empowers students and teachers to help the environment through waste reduction, reuse, recycling and composting.
Healthy Lawns for Healthy Families
Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection - waste and recycling information
MassRecycle - the Massachusetts Recycling Coalition
North Central Regional Solid Waste Cooperative
Pedals for Progress - ships bikes to developing countries
Cell Phone and Rechargeable Batter recycling
Devens Recycling - construction/demolition debris
America Recycles Day - every year on November 15.
Earth911 - find out where to recycle that hard-to-recycle
Earth Day - every year on April 22.
Green Team - an interactive educational program that empowers students and teachers to help the environment through waste reduction, reuse, recycling and composting.
Healthy Lawns for Healthy Families
Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection - waste and recycling information
MassRecycle - the Massachusetts Recycling Coalition
North Central Regional Solid Waste Cooperative
Pedals for Progress - ships bikes to developing countries
Cell Phone and Rechargeable Batter recycling
Devens Recycling - construction/demolition debris
What we do
Ayer supports Mass Recycles Paper! Campaign. At their September 18 meeting, the Ayer Board of Selectmen unanimously approved and signed the Mass Recycles Paper! resolution, which calls on all Massachusetts municipalities to recycle more paper: it makes good environmental and economic sense! See http://www.massrecyclespaper.org for more information.
Have an hour or so a month to help the environment and serve your town? If so, consider spending that time with the Ayer Recycling Committee. For more information on what we¹re doing, contact Laurie Sabol, 978 772 7858 or Ayerrecycles@gmail.com.
The Recycling Committee encourages town residents to increase home recycling rates and to become more educated about the benefits of reducing, reusing and recycling at http://www.mass.gov/dep/recycle/reduce/compos01.htm
We publicize America Recycles Day.
We take advantage of grants available from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection municipal waste reduction grant program. We have received state-subsidized compost bins for sale to any town resident. This year we received a grant for three recycling bins that we will place outside at large public events that will be used to recycle glass, plastic and aluminum containers and other materials.
Ayer is a member of the North Central Regional Solid Waste Cooperative. Among other activities, the NCRSWC runs twice-yearly hazardous waste collections.
We partner with other local environmental organizations, such as PACE and the Greenways Committee.
Massachusetts Waste Ban
Massachusetts regulations (310 CMR 19.017) ban the following material from being thrown into the trash: CRTs, tires, lead acid batteries, recyclable paper, white goods (such as refrigerators, dishwashers, etc.) glass bottles and jars, metal containers, plastic soda and juice bottles, leaves and yard waste.
Ayer supports Mass Recycles Paper! Campaign. At their September 18 meeting, the Ayer Board of Selectmen unanimously approved and signed the Mass Recycles Paper! resolution, which calls on all Massachusetts municipalities to recycle more paper: it makes good environmental and economic sense! See http://www.massrecyclespaper.org for more information.
Have an hour or so a month to help the environment and serve your town? If so, consider spending that time with the Ayer Recycling Committee. For more information on what we¹re doing, contact Laurie Sabol, 978 772 7858 or Ayerrecycles@gmail.com.
The Recycling Committee encourages town residents to increase home recycling rates and to become more educated about the benefits of reducing, reusing and recycling at http://www.mass.gov/dep/recycle/reduce/compos01.htm
We publicize America Recycles Day.
We take advantage of grants available from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection municipal waste reduction grant program. We have received state-subsidized compost bins for sale to any town resident. This year we received a grant for three recycling bins that we will place outside at large public events that will be used to recycle glass, plastic and aluminum containers and other materials.
Ayer is a member of the North Central Regional Solid Waste Cooperative. Among other activities, the NCRSWC runs twice-yearly hazardous waste collections.
We partner with other local environmental organizations, such as PACE and the Greenways Committee.
Massachusetts Waste Ban
Massachusetts regulations (310 CMR 19.017) ban the following material from being thrown into the trash: CRTs, tires, lead acid batteries, recyclable paper, white goods (such as refrigerators, dishwashers, etc.) glass bottles and jars, metal containers, plastic soda and juice bottles, leaves and yard waste.
Apartment dwellers
If your trash is picked up, you can still recycle at the Transfer Station, at no charge! Visit the Department of Public Works (25 Brook Street, 978-772-8240, dpw@ayer.ma.us) for a free recycling sticker for your car. You must show your vehicle registration indicating town of Ayer residency. Fees still apply for materials listed below.
If your trash is picked up, you can still recycle at the Transfer Station, at no charge! Visit the Department of Public Works (25 Brook Street, 978-772-8240, dpw@ayer.ma.us) for a free recycling sticker for your car. You must show your vehicle registration indicating town of Ayer residency. Fees still apply for materials listed below.
Transfer Station
The Transfer Station, located on Groton Harvard Road, is open Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, from 8am-4pm. For more information, visit the Transfer Station Web Page. The Brush Dump, located on Bishop Road, is open 4 weekends in the early spring and late fall and 2 weekends after Christmas.
The Transfer Station, located on Groton Harvard Road, is open Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, from 8am-4pm. For more information, visit the Transfer Station Web Page. The Brush Dump, located on Bishop Road, is open 4 weekends in the early spring and late fall and 2 weekends after Christmas.
Materials accepted at the Transfer Station
Mercury-containing materials
Mercury is toxic and you should not throw materials containing it in the trash. Instead, please drop off fluorescent light bulbs, silent light switches, button batteries, thermostats and thermometers in the Universal Waste Shed at the Transfer Station. There is a permanent thermometer exchange at the Ayer Council on Aging (18 Pond Street Rear), Monday to Friday from 9am-2:30pm. For more information, visit http://keepmercuryfromrising.org
Rechargeable batteries and cell phones
The Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation recycles the following types of batteries: Nickel Cadmium (Ni-Cd), Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH), Lithium Ion (Li-ion) and Small Sealed Lead* (Pb) AND any cell phones. Place your batteries or cell phones in a plastic bag provided in the collection box in the Universal Waste Shed at the Transfer Station. DO NOT leave any batteries that weigh over two pounds. Check those batteries to see if they are labeled with recycling information. For more information, visit http://www.rbrc.org/call2recycle/consumer/consumer_faq.html. Alkaline (AA, C, D, etc.) batteries can be thrown in the trash.
- The following can be recycled at the Transfer Station:
- aluminum foil and pie plates aluminum, tin and steel cans and lids
- beer bottles
- bottle caps (put in with steel cans)
- brown paper bags
- car batteries (see fee schedule on Transfer Station page)
- cell phones. Place in plastic bag in collection box in the Universal Waste Shed.
- Christmas trees
- clothes, shoes and small toys (place in bags and drop in Planet Aid collection box).
- corrugated cardboard (please flatten)
- fluorescent bulbs, thermometers, thermostats (leave in Universal Waste Shed)
- glass bottles and jars
- motor oil
- newspaper
- paper (including junk mail, cereal boxes, magazines, etc.). Don't bother to remove staples or cellophane "windows."
- plastic containers labeled #1 and #2
- rechargeable batteries (no larger than 2 lbs). Place in plastic bag in collection box in the Universal Waste Shed.
- scrap metal
- tires (see fee schedule on Transfer Station page)
- wood fire ashes
- yard waste, including leaves, grass and small branches (no stumps)
- Furniture (see fee schedule on Transfer Station page) books and other household items that are in good condition may be left in the Swap Shed.
- Tires (see fee schedule on Transfer Station page)
- Air conditioners
- Automobile batteries
- Computer monitors
- Empty propane tanks
- Furniture, upholstered
- Furniture, wooden
- Mattress/box springs
- Microwaves
- Refrigerators
- Rugs
- Stoves
- Televisions
- Washers/dryers
- Water heaters
Mercury-containing materials
Mercury is toxic and you should not throw materials containing it in the trash. Instead, please drop off fluorescent light bulbs, silent light switches, button batteries, thermostats and thermometers in the Universal Waste Shed at the Transfer Station. There is a permanent thermometer exchange at the Ayer Council on Aging (18 Pond Street Rear), Monday to Friday from 9am-2:30pm. For more information, visit http://keepmercuryfromrising.org
Rechargeable batteries and cell phones
The Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation recycles the following types of batteries: Nickel Cadmium (Ni-Cd), Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH), Lithium Ion (Li-ion) and Small Sealed Lead* (Pb) AND any cell phones. Place your batteries or cell phones in a plastic bag provided in the collection box in the Universal Waste Shed at the Transfer Station. DO NOT leave any batteries that weigh over two pounds. Check those batteries to see if they are labeled with recycling information. For more information, visit http://www.rbrc.org/call2recycle/consumer/consumer_faq.html. Alkaline (AA, C, D, etc.) batteries can be thrown in the trash.
Materials not accepted at the Transfer Station
To find locations to recycle other materials that are not taken at the Transfer Station, contact Earth911 at www.earth911.org
Also, remember, one person's trash is another person's treasure. Give away your goods on On Ayer's listserve: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ayer-Mass/ or Groton Freestuff
- aerosol cans
- latex paint: dry out the paint left in the can and then throw the can and the lid in the trash
- plastic bags: most grocery stores will take these.
- Styrofoam packing peanuts: Many UPS stores will take these.
- sharps (syringes): The Nashoba Associated Boards of Health has established a program for the proper disposal of syringes (sharps). Sharps containers are on sale at the Nashoba Boards of Health office, 30 Central Street, in Ayer for $5 each (made payable to the Nashoba Associated Boards of Health) during normal business hours of M-F 9am-4pm. Sharps can only be accepted in approved containers.
- construction/demolition debris (take to Devens Recycling Center 978-772-6500 http://www.devensrecycling.com
To find locations to recycle other materials that are not taken at the Transfer Station, contact Earth911 at www.earth911.org
Also, remember, one person's trash is another person's treasure. Give away your goods on On Ayer's listserve: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ayer-Mass/ or Groton Freestuff
Household hazardous (and bulky) waste (HHW) collection
Twice yearly, the North Central Regional Solid Waste Cooperative holds a hazardous and bulky waste collection day. See http://www.masstoss.com/hazard.htm for information on upcoming events and permanent HHW sites.
Twice yearly, the North Central Regional Solid Waste Cooperative holds a hazardous and bulky waste collection day. See http://www.masstoss.com/hazard.htm for information on upcoming events and permanent HHW sites.
- DO NOT BRING LATEX PAINT. Latex paint should be disposed of by drying out the paint that is left in the can and throwing the can in the trash.
- THERE IS A FEE TO RECYCLE AT HHW collection events. Please note what it is and bring cash or check.
Compost bins
The Recycling Committee sells the Earth Machine, an outdoor compost bins for $40. Contact Laurie Sabol (978 772 7858 or Ayerrecycles@gmail.com) to buy one. For more information about composting, see the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection website.
The Recycling Committee sells the Earth Machine, an outdoor compost bins for $40. Contact Laurie Sabol (978 772 7858 or Ayerrecycles@gmail.com) to buy one. For more information about composting, see the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection website.