TOWNSEND QUESTIONS

How do I Recycle in Townsend?

To truly recycle you need to:

• Separate your recyclables from your trash.
• Take to the curb for pick up or to the Recycling Center if required. The hauler will take to the recycling facility for processing. Townsend’s recycling collection program helps keep recyclable materials out of the trash.
• Buy Recycled products. If you are not buying recycled paper, reclaimed motor oil, paper products made from recycled material and other products that say made from recycled materials YOU ARE NOT RECYCLING. If all of the 3 steps are not completed the loop is broken.

Why is Recycling mandatory?

In FY ’04 our Curbside Trash/Recycling Program was 4.5% of our entire town budget. We spent a total of $665,520 for trash collection and disposal in FY ’04 ($376,000 for collection plus $70 per ton of trash X 4,136, or $289,520). We recycled 870 tons in FY ’04, which saved the taxpayers $60,900 in disposal fees. We get paid for the paper we are able to recycle. In FY ’04 we received $12,120 for recycled paper sold. When you hear the words "It pays to recycle", it certainly does!

How do I get rid of Waste Oil?

• Drop-off is the first Saturday of the month 8am - noon at the Highway Dept. Dudley Road. On holiday weekends, drop-off will be the following weekend.
• Oil must be in 1-gallon containers when dropping off.

How do I get rid of Household Hazardous Waste?

 

GENERAL QUESTIONS

What is Global Warming all about?

Global warming, sometimes referred to as the "Greenhouse effect", results from the dissemination of various gases into the atmosphere. These include methane, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and certain chemical compounds, and even water vapor. The atmosphere and greenhouse gases act as an insulating blanket which holds in the heat provided by the sun. This prevents the earth's average temperature from sinking. However, there must be a balance. Excess greenhouse gases in the atmosphere can raise global temperature to a point where many unwanted and detrimental effects can occur. A recently released study on the Arctic, involving 300 scientists, confirms earlier evidence that temperature increases in some northern regions are now exceeding by tenfold the average increases experienced by the Earth in the past one hundred years.

How does recycling diminish the effects of Global Warming?

Recycling and manufacturing from recycled materials results in saving our depleting resources and uses less energy. Using less energy results in the reduction of greenhouse gases generated from fossil fuel burning power plants and from trash burning incinerators. Also, the abundance of inefficient, gas-hungry vehicles contributes alarming amounts of greenhouse gases.
Along with recycling and conservation, the use of renewable power sources such as wind and solar power plus the design of fuel efficient vehicles can protect the planet and provide a healthier environment.

How can I reduce the amount of junk mail I receive?

First, you can have your name removed from most national mailing lists by contacting the Direct Marketing Association at the address below:

Direct Marketing Association
Mail Preference Service Box 643
Carmel, NY 10512

See the DMA Mail Preference Service web page for more information.
You can also contact companies that send you junk mail and ask to be removed from their mailing lists.

  HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS?