Western Massachusetts Municipalities Paid Nearly $900,000 for their Recycling Efforts This Year, Save $1.5 Million in Disposal Costs

In the first six months of 2008, 78 communities in western Massachusetts received nearly $900,000 from Waste Management Recycle America (WMRA) for delivering 20,657 tons of recyclables to the Springfield Materials Recycling Facility (MRF).

Communities are paid a flat rate of $15.67 per ton in addition to a revenue share when markets are good. These communities have also saved an estimated $1.5 million in solid waste disposal fees by recycling their newspaper, magazines, junk mail, cardboard, plastic, glass, and metal containers at the Springfield MRF.

"The significant economic benefits of recycling continue to be realized by western Massachusetts municipalities," said Commissioner Laurie Burt of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP). "We hope that all residents realize that participating in local recycling programs matters more than ever given our current economy and the pressing environmental challenges before us."
 
The market for recyclables continues to be high because of global demand for these commodities. In fiscal year 2008, the monthly payment to municipalities averaged over $42 per ton. This is due to a continued high global demand for recycled paper, plastics, aluminum and metal by manufacturers to make products that have recycled content. The recyclables that are processed at the MRF end up in game board, book board, automotive parts, plastic bottles, fiberfill, aluminum cans, and even new blue recycling bins. 

The MRF, owned by MassDEP and operated by WMRA, issues revenue payments every six months. The following MRF communities recorded these recycling tonnages for the first six months of 2008 and received these payments:

Agawam - 926.75 tons, $40,424.22 in revenue; Alford - 35.02, $1,525.93; Amherst - 749.95, $32,736.09; Ashfield - 113, $4,928.78; Beckett - 54.44, $2,374.78; Belchertown - 279.34, $12,154.31; Bernardston - 84.63, $3,701.31; Blandford - 44.71, $1,952.49; Buckland - 77.15, $3,365.11; Charlemont - 51.92, $2,264.12; Chester - 35.27, $1,545.05; Chesterfield - 34.6, $1,513.11; Chicopee - 1575.73, $67,857; Colrain - 66.74, $2,893.66; Conway - 118.62, $5,172.79; Cummington - 40.67, $1,777.95; Dalton - 210.47, $9,178.59; Deerfield - 222.18, $9,697.33; Easthampton - 121.3, $5,284.17; East Longmeadow - 925.24, $40,335.61; Egremont - 98.38, $4,298; Erving - 84.26, $3,681.41; Gill - 87.69, $3,839.19; Goshen - 38.5, $1,673.94; Granby - 208.61, $9,102.34; Granville - 53.8, $2,349.67; Great Barrington - 64.3, $2,811.95; and Greenfield - 904.59, $39,485.83.

Also, Hadley - 123.65, $5,417.55; Hampden - 110.71, $4,826.56; Hatfield - 101.35, $4,429.82; Heath - 34.38, $1,499.43; Holyoke - 815.22, $35,562.29; Huntington - 71.99, $3,140.92; Lee - 14.56, $616.44; Lenox - 4.86, $205.76; Leverett - 86.76, $3,787.48; Longmeadow - 1135.69, $49,577.33; Ludlow - 624.24, $27,239.52; Middlefield - 19.19, $832.48; Montague - 357.91, $15,617.72; Monterey - 70.78, $3,094.25; Montgomery - 40.44, $1,764.15; New Marlborough - 52.39, $2,286.67; New Salem - 42.29, $1,847.23; Northfield - 146.09, $6,369.24; Northampton - 984.16, $42,942.68; Otis - 89.42, $3,890.21; Palmer - 60.87, $2,642.78; Pittsfield - 1197.55, $52,236.39; Plainfield - 26.58, $1,156.94; Rowe - 22.96, $1,000.41; and Russell - 47.72, $2,082.66.

Also, Sandisfield - 26.96, $1,173.99; Sheffield - 126.4, $5,526.94; Shelburne - 80.46, $3,503.46; Shutesbury - 95.42, $4,171.89; South Hadley - 730.96, $31,890.40; Southampton - 262.73, $11,457.61; Southwick - 250.65, $10,934.08; Springfield - 2112.1, $92,117.32; Stockbridge - 248.63, $10,843.30; Sunderland - 125.39, $5,475.29; Tolland - 22.68, $988.43; Warwick - 30.93, $1,348.54; Washington - 27.14, $1,181.93; Wendell - 40.09, $1,753.02; West Springfield - 701.01, $30,577.98; West Stockbridge - 91.39, $3,986.39; Westfield - 1272.22, $55,088.19; Westhampton - 72.35, $3,155.03; Whately - 62.58, $2,722.13; Wilbraham - 499.24, $21,781.15; Williamsburg - 131.35, $5,728.54; and Worthington - 57.44, $2,508.82.

MassDEP opened the MRF in 1990 to help reduce waste, divert material away from landfills and incinerators and encourage the re-use of recyclable materials. Since that time, the MRF has processed approximately 1.7 billion pounds (865,000 tons) of recyclables from western Massachusetts, and delivered more than $7.8 million in revenue sharing to communities.

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