Methuen council opens discussion on $240K recycling grant

Christopher Roberson, The Eagle-Tribune, North Andover, Mass.
·2 min read

Aug. 8—METHUEN — Councilors must now decide the best use for the $240,000 recycling grant from the Recycling Partnership the City Council voted to accept earlier in the summer.

"We have to be careful here, the recycling grant is to fund recycling carts," said Mayor Neil Perry during the council's Aug. 1 meeting, adding that 90% of the money will be put into the city's General Fund.

Central District Councilor Joel Faretra suggested using the grant money to purchase 2,700 additional carts for larger families. At a cost of $88 per cart, that expenditure would total $237,600.

In contrast, East District Councilor Steven Saba said the money should be used to cover the cost of the original order rather than to buy additional carts, which may not be needed.

"We really don't know if we're going to use 2,700 carts," he said.

Perry also reiterated that Methuen has one of the lowest recycling percentages in the state.

"We're at 17% recycling in the city, that's an abysmal number," he said. "There is gigantic room for improvement."

A shortage of recycling carts has been identified as the primary reason for having such a low recycling percentage. Therefore, recyclable items are being mixed in with trash, which causes trash tonnage to escalate.

"It's the trash tonnage fees that are really hurting the city," said Perry. "Our tonnage has been astronomical."

In response, Perry said 15,000 95-gallon recycling carts have been ordered as well as 1,000 35-gallon carts.

"Wait until you see the carts, they're a lot larger than people think," he said.

The carts are scheduled to be delivered during the week of Sept. 12.

"We expect a great influx, after Sept. 12, of people wanting to swap or to get additional carts," said Perry, adding that larger and low-income families will be given preference for additional carts.

In addition, Perry said he was glad to terminate the city's contract with JRM Hauling and Recycling.

"Their last two weeks in the city were anything less than spectacular and you know what the previous two years were like," he said.