TRASH TALK: We should treat every day like Earth Day

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by Irene Belanger

Mon. April 22 was “Earth Day.”

In our towns we should treat every day as Earth Day to keep our roadsides and yards clean of litter as possible.

Many thanks to China Democrats for cleaning in the China Village areas (thank you Matt Brunton for organizing the effort), Boy Scout Troop #479, for the areas they will do, the Bennetts and Richard Dillenbeck, for Lakeview Drive areas, the Goodine Family Group, for Route 32 South, and all of you who clean your roadsides to make us all proud . Thank you to all Palermo folks who do their areas.

If some of you would like to do a cleanup of your road please feel free to organize a group and let me know if you need some extra bags.

Please remember it is state law to keep your large loads covered and secured so that debris doesn’t fly off, and so that you don’t get fined for littering.

Thank you all so much for doing your part! Irene 445-2349.

TRASH TALKING — China and Palermo residents: second alert

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by Irene Belanger

Effective March 1, 2019, and until further notice, we will not be recycling any plastic bags so there will not be a barrel at the recycling station for them. They will go into the hopper. Of course, they could be reused as wastebasket liners or other trash and then tossed in with the regular trash. Thank you for your co-operation. The good work you all do is very much appreciated and does not go unnoticed.

Also: there is a rumor out there that “Springtime is on the way”!

Keep watch in The Town Line or check on the China town office website for a date for the KSO drug drop, roadside cleanup weekend and whatever else we can come up with for spring cleaning to make life a little easier and help to keep China, Palermo and Maine roadsides nicer for all of us.

NOTICE: For safety and health reasons PLEASE DO NOT toss any medicines into the flush.

Please contact Irene 445-2349, Sheldon 445-2712, or the town office to volunteer. (Thank you to China Boy Scout Troop and their leaders as they help us each year.)

Just so you know, we are scheduled to send our first load of trash to Fiberight/Coastal in June 2019. It’s been very exciting to watch the new facility grow in Hampden. If they offer another tour and you’d like to go see the progress call me. It’s massive!

Thank you to our Transfer Station attendants. They take the extra time and energy to get training to keep up with whatever is happening in the wonderful world of trash as well as all safety sessions to keep themselves and all of us safe.

Trash Talk: Barrel for plastic bags will no longer be available

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by Irene Belanger

There is a lot going on at the China Transfer Station:

ALERT! Effective March 1, 2019, and until further notice, there will no longer be a barrel in the recycle building for plastic bags. The current very low and non-existent market has determined this. But you can reuse them for waste basket liners, cleaning your vehicle of unnecessary wrappers, etc. Then toss them in the hopper with the rest of your trash. Thank you all for helping. Hannaford has a container for their empty bags and Wal-Mart has boxes in their entries for any plastic bags, as well as pellet bags. This is taking stewardship.

Also, thank you to the ladies who have volunteered through the China For A Lifetime Committee to help keep the “Free For Taking” building in better order; we don’t want to lose this amenity. It’s a tall order during the cold months.

It would help immensely if everyone dropping off “good stuff” would bring it in clean. Glass and plastic items: please no dirt and moldy dried-on food.There was a time when some of us would take lots of dirty items home to wash/clean them and bring them back for someone to give them a new home.

Only clean clothes, shoes, pocketbooks can go into the “Apparent Impact Container.” Thank you for doing good.

Absolutely no electronics are to go into the “Free For Taking” building. If you have toasters, TVs, small ovens, mixers, etc., please find an attendant and they will happily help you place them where they belong. If they are clean and still work, let them know.

Don’t forget we also have a paint section. We also take any and all clean cardboard.

The China Transfer Station has a very good reputation state-side due to the great job the staff does. Please give them a thank you.

Trash has become a big deal and very complex. We thank the residents for helping us to reuse, recycle resource. The staff goes for all training made available.

The compost is working even in the winter. Think spring! There will be lots of good compost ready for you for free for your garden.

We appreciate you all! Stay warm and safe.

Talkin’ Trash with Irene Belanger, Week of October 5, 2017

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by Irene Belanger
Trnasfer Station coordinator

Thank you Bob Bennett for your letter to The Town Line last Thursday. Keeping the roadsides in China, Maine clean from trash is ultra important. Once again I’d like to remind everyone that it’s State Law to keep trash loads SECURED when traveling to the transfer station. Thank you to Katie McCormick for roadside work she does in the South China area.

Autumn is a good time to clean up any trash that has landed in each of our front roadsides as we prepare for winter. Thanks to you all!

Reminders:

Saturday, October 21, 8:30 a.m. – noon, is your chance to get rid of hazardous waste items and old TVs by taking a load to Winslow. You’ll need to go to the China Transfer Station to get an application and information. Your tax dollars at work.

Saturday, October 28, we’ll have a grand opening for our Free For Taking building. Items are there for anyone who can use them. Also it’s Kennebec Sheriff’s Office Drug Drop Off Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the recycle building.

And the Paper Shredder will be at the town garage on Alder Park Road from 8 a.m. to noon. Your tax dollars at work.

We could use some more volunteers that day.

To find out more please call Irene at 445-2349 or the transfer station at 445-3033. Thank you.

Lots going on at China transfer station

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Talkin’ Trash

by Irene Belanger
China selectman and Transfer station coordinator

Who would think that “trash” could become so complex!

There is a lot going on at the transfer station and the committee meets at least once a month.

First and foremost “thank you” to all you who use the China Transfer Station facility. Special thanks to staff at the station and committee members. The issues of timing and traffic flow have made life easier. Thank you to all for being kind and considerate of others while dropping off recyclables, reusables, composting and dropping off bags of “trash”.

The “Free For Taking” building isn’t quite finished but is now the one to use. Staff has had the “soft” opening but we’ll announce the “grand opening” soon. Thank you to Kevin and all who have worked on this structure and the parking area etc.

We could use a few more volunteers so if you feel the urge call Irene at 445-2349. We’re trying to keep the space in good order and appreciate it when those of you who stop and shop or drop off help us to keep things picked up and neat. We don’t want to lose this great space. If you have questions staff can assist you. Please don’t put very large items inside such as storm windows, bikes, large pieces of furniture, swimming pool equipment, tents, etc (very large items) into the building as there isn’t room.

We have nice sections for books, clothes, dishes, knick knacks etc., small good working items. We’ll all need to do our best to keep it as neat as possible. It’s great to share good items we no longer want with others. Please no mildewed items.

At the first recycling area there is now a container for clean plastic grocery and bread bags, case overwrap, dry cleaner bags, newspaper sleeves, ice bags, woodpellet bags, Ziplock and other recloseable bags, produce bags, bubble wrap, salt bags and cereal bags. We have a place we can now take them to for disposal.

There is cooked compost if you need some and more on the burner. Lobster and clam shells are welcome to the cause also. Manure helps the cooking especially horse “stuff.”

The Transfer Station Committee meets at least once a month and we have been discussing “ridged plastics.” If an item has a fair amount or more of metal in the plastic item and especially if there is a motor in the “plastic” then please toss it into the metal bin. Thank you.

When in doubt on anything the attendents are there to help. Please be patient as they are very busy and also must take a break on occasion or in the middle of a task.

PALERMO residents: please purchase your trashbags at Tobey’s Grocery or the Palermo town office.

Enjoy your summer everyone.