GREENFIELD, MA (FRANKLIN COUNTY NOW) — As the city of Greenfield prepares to make the switch from dual stream recycling to an automated single stream collection, a second public outreach meeting is set for Monday, September 9th at 6 p.m. at the John Zon Community Center and via Zoom. This meeting will focus on accessibility accommodations the city will implement including how to request a smaller cart than the standard 95 gallon cart residents will receive. 

From the City of Greenfield:

Automated Recycling Accessibility Meeting Scheduled for Monday, September 9

GREENFIELD – The City of Greenfield will be hosting its second of several Automated Recycling Outreach Transition Meetings on Monday, September 9 @ 6:00 p.m. The meeting will take place at the John Zon Community Center and includes remote access via Zoom. It will also be recorded and posted on GCTV for viewing at a later date.

The city’s transition from a manual, dual-stream recycling method to automated, single-stream recycling collection is thanks to a $2.05 million grant from the United States Environmental Protection Agency awarded in September 2023. The grant is part of the EPA’s Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling grant program, known as SWIFR.

The second meeting focuses specifically on accessibility accommodations the city will be implementing with the automated recycling program. Some of the initiatives that will be discussed include how residents can request a smaller cart size and make specific accommodation requests for their recycling collection.

Since the first outreach meeting in June, the SWIFR Implementation Team continues to implement the public engagement phase of its three-year grant. SWIFR Outreach Coordinator Sean Kelleher is fostering open communication with residents through tabling events at the Greenfield Farmers Market, Greenfield Public Library, the Hawks and Reed “Off the Common” music series and the Greenfield Senior Center.

In addition, Sean remains focused on sharing important background information on the city’s transition to automated recycling through flyers, posters and social media posts.

The City of Greenfield’s Automated Recycling Transition webpage also received recent updates. The webpage now includes pages highlighting the various SWIFR tabling events and additional background information on automated recycling accommodations. Residents can also watch the first Automated Recycling Outreach meeting on the webpage.

You can view the webpage at: https://greenfield-ma.gov/residents/automated_recycling_transition_/index.php

The webpage can also be found under the “Residents” navigation menu or the quick link on the front page entitled “Automated Recycling Transition.”

“We are thrilled to continue the public outreach process on our transition to automated recycling,” said DPW Director Marlo Warner. “I am grateful to all of the talented individuals on our SWIFR team who have and continue to assist with this project.”

The city’s transition to automated recycling will provide a multi-faceted benefit to the community, including:

·       New DPW recycling collection vehicles will replace the department’s aging fleet that is often in a state of disrepair.

·       The new vehicles substantially reduce carbon emissions and idling, while their larger size will increase the DPW’s current fleet efficiency.

·       The Greenfield Transfer Station will receive upgrades to improve processing efficiency.

·       Automated vehicles create a safer work environment for recycling collection workers. DPW staff will no longer be exposed to hazardous conditions during collections. Instead, they will collect the recycling while remaining inside their vehicles via an automated control system.

·       A new, city-issued recycling cart will be provided to residents and community stakeholders. The carts can hold up to five times more recyclable materials.

The following Automated Recycling Outreach meetings will take place on Tuesday, October 8 and Tuesday, December 10. Each takes place at the John Zon Community Center and begins at 6:00 p.m. The City of Greenfield received financial support from the EPA under Assistance Agreement SCOOA01503.

To join the Automated Recycling Accessibility Meeting (Monday, September 9) via Zoom, please use the information provided below:

 

Join Zoom Meeting

https://greenfield-ma-gov.zoom.us/j/97558465466?pwd=kEKKkbHiVB5lpuP4JaUAzlH0aYNd7E.1

Meeting ID: 975 5846 5466

Passcode: 161047

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