Hamilton’s Curbside Organics Program

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Municipal Workshop- Reaching Towards Zero Waste: Gretel Clark, Chair of Hamilton's Recycling Committee presents Hamilton as a case study for it's implementation of recycling and diversion of organics.

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HAMILTON’S CURBSIDE ORGANICS PROGRAM

Gretel Clark

Recycle Committee Chair, Hamilton, MA

Town of Hamilton

Semi rural, conservative, New England town (15 square miles)

2,400 households

A little more than 8,000 residents

BEACON OF HOPE

Today, Hamiltonians produce

<.5 tons solid waste; recycling 50%

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

CYO6 CY07 CY08 CY09 CY10 CY11 CY120

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

Solid Waste Tons

Organics

Recycling Tons

2007: State’s solid waste bans implemented but not enforced.

CYO6 CY07 CY08 CY09 CY10 CY11 CY120

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

Solid Waste Tons

Organics

Recycling Tons

2008: Initial Waste Reduction Program

CYO6 CY07 CY08 CY09 CY10 CY11 CY120

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

Solid Waste Tons

Organics

Recycling Tons

2009: First Pilot Organics Program (75 families)

CYO6 CY07 CY08 CY09 CY10 CY11 CY120

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

Solid Waste Tons

Organics

Recycling Tons

2010: Second Pilot Organics Program (600 families)

CYO6 CY07 CY08 CY09 CY10 CY11 CY120

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

Solid Waste Tons

Organics

Recycling Tons

2011: Continuation of second pilot

CYO6 CY07 CY08 CY09 CY10 CY11 CY120

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

Solid Waste Tons

Organics

Recycling Tons

2012: New SMART Trash Program Instituted

CYO6 CY07 CY08 CY09 CY10 CY11 CY120

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

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

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