Recycling Pays: Western Massachusetts Municipalities Paid $1.7 Million
In 2007 For Recyclables, $3.3 Million Saved in Disposal Costs

In calendar year 2007, 78 communities in western Massachusetts received approximately $1.7 million from Waste Management Recycle America (WMRA) for delivering 43,375 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 $3.3 million in solid waste disposal fees by recycling their newspaper, magazines, junk mail, cardboard, plastic, glass and metal containers at the Springfield MRF.

"Western Massachusetts is truly realizing the economic and environmental benefits of recycling," MassDEP Commissioner Laurie Burt said. "We hope that municipalities will set serious recycling goals in their communities and educate residents about the importance of recycling participation for the environment and their local economy."

The MRF, owned by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) and operated by WMRA, issues revenue payments every six months. The most recent payments for the period of July through December 2007 ranged from $899 for the Town of Middlefield to $86,326 for the City of Springfield [a full listing of community payments follows].

As a member of the MassRecyclesPaper! campaign, the MRF has estimated how much recoverable paper is still in the waste stream in western Massachusetts. An estimated 25,000 tons of paper is thrown away in MRF municipalities each year. This costs municipalities approximately $1.5 million in disposal costs. At a current MRF revenue share of about $40 per ton for recyclables, municipalities could see close to $1 million in additional revenue each year if this paper were recycled. During this year, the MRF will look to set recycling goals with its member towns and implement paper-recycling and educational initiatives to help communities realize the economic benefits associated with recycling paper.

For the last six months of 2007, the 78 communities recycled 21,856 tons of materials at the MRF, and today received $894,434 in payments. The following MRF communities recorded these recycling tonnages for the final six months of 2007 and received these payments:

Chicopee - 1,663.05 tons, $68,152.42 in revenue; Holyoke - 821.52, $33,604.29; Northampton - 1,119.09, $45,836.59; Pittsfield - 1,268.33, $51,855.20; Springfield - 2,110.21, $86,325.82; Westfield - 1,341.04, $54,893.26; Agawam - 984.09, $40,273.72; Alford - 41.90, $1,712.60; Amherst - 754.30, $30,786.71; Ashfield - 119.25, $4,862.93; Beckett - 59.48, $2,436.52; Belchertown - 313.03, $12,836.45; Bernardston - 91.71, $3,751.99; Blandford - 46.55, $1,903.80; Buckland - 77.25, $3,154.75; Charlemont - 52.89, $2,157.29; Chester - 43.04, $1,754.50; Chesterfield - 39.77, $1,632.08; Colrain - 59.76, $2,451.05; Conway - 119.81, $4,989.83; Cummington - 45.04, $1,850.16; Dalton - 215.75, $8,828.07; Deerfield - 229.75, $9,391.16; Easthampton - 102.56, $4,203.14; East Longmeadow - 914.11, $37,516.22; Egremont - 125.17, $5,144.82; Erving - 90,56, $3,712.72.

Also, Gill - 48.68, $1,976.65; Goshen - 39.05, $1,601.48; Granby - 232.19, $9,506.30; Granville - 60.94, $2,492.79; Great Barrington - 81.23, $3,316.88; Greenfield - 930.77, $38,104.36; Hadley - 160.87, $6,597; Hampden - 135.64, $5,558.42; Hatfield - 107.98, $4,420.14; Heath - 32.94, $1,348.03; Huntington - 80.47, $3,288.89; Lee - 78.61, $3,215.80; Lenox - 42.30, $1,730.41; Leverett - 101.42, $4,144.19; Longmeadow - 1,201.55, $49,089.07; Ludlow - 629.93, $25,770.24; Middlefield - 22.01, $899.31; Montague - 384.85, $15,735.51; Monterey - 89.28, $3,667.33; Montgomery - 26.21, $1,060.06; New Marlborough - 63.52, $2,595.49; New Salem - 47.10, $1,930.82; Northfield - 156.29, $6,405.64.

Also, Otis - 108.25, $4,420.31; Palmer - 84.06, $3,447.69; Plainfield - 32.11, $1,312.69; Rowe - 23.21, $953.41; Russell - 50.67, $2,067.58; Sandisfield - 33.73, $1,382.54; Sheffield - 133.97, $5,446.71; Shelburne - 85.48, $3,506.21; Shutesbury - 95.59, $3,908.64; South Hadley - 744.10, $30,449.91; Southampton - 268.22, $10,994.42; Southwick - 257.13, $10,523.59; Stockbridge - 327.85, $13,390.33; Sunderland - 129.24, $5,290.18; Tolland - 25.21, $1,026.43; Warwick - 33.11, $1,360.22; Washington - 24.92, $1,029.85; Wendell - 43.88, $1,800.95; West Springfield - 728.43, $29,807.89; West Stockbridge - 98.67, $4,032.96; Westhampton - 75.89, $3,109.18; Whately - 67.12, $2,757.26; Wilbraham - 581.74, $23,797.61; Williamsburg - 138.58, $5,679.16; and Worthington - 62.57, $2,556.48.

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 more than one billion pounds of recyclables from western Massachusetts.

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