Resource Recycling Advisory Council

Resource Recycling Advisory Commission Meeting of January 27, 2020 Middletown Senior Center, 7 PM Members Present:, Monica Belyea, Bessie Bianco, Alison Johnson, Izzy Guy, Robin Hanson, Rebecca MacLachlan, Debbie Stanley, Krishna Winston. Members not present:, Chantel DeArmitt, , Harold Panciera. Member of the Public Present: Dan Martins, Novamont Public Works Staff Present: Kim O’Rourke The meeting was called to order at 7:04 pm. Ms. Winston introduced Dan Martens of Novamont, who came to discuss curbside food waste collection in Italy. He provided a power point presentation and answered questions. The minutes of the November meeting were approved as presented. Kim O’Rourke reported she was meeting with the Mayor’s Chief of state to discuss ways to make the internal working of city government more sustainable (purchasing recycling products, banning water bottles, etc..). She is looking forward to developing a plan. The City has entered a new contract for recycling with Murphy Road Recycling. The cost is tied to a market index. The cost for contamination will be much higher. Ms. O’Rourke said she will be coordinating more proactive outreach to follow up on contamination. The Arts Department and Recycling Division are trying to work together on more projects. They will be starting with a collaboration in the Arts Newsletter and hope to join forces on projects and outreach in the future. Kim O’Rourke showed a new medicine disposal bag that is available at the library and the health department. Medicine can be put in the bag and neutralized and then disposed in the trash. Krishna Winston said she is following Sustainable CT and offered the priorities of organics and pay as you throw to the task force. She will continue to report on its progress. Swap Shack Members discussed the need to improve the Swap Shack in some way. Ms. Guy felt it would be better to have the shack in a store front or empty space some where and only open it certain times. If it is maintained in the current building, it needs to be repaired and updated. Ms. MacLachlan said she will send information on the Brewster Swap Shack. Members had heard the Glastonbury Put and Take area is very impressive, so Kim said she would get information on that. Jan. 29 Izzy Guy Feb. 1 Robin Hanson Feb. 5 Bessie Bianco Feb. 12 Debbie Stanley Feb. 15 Krishna Winston Feb. 19 Izzy Guy Members discussed whether to have a Repair Café in Middletown in the spring. RiverCog and Rockfall are planning one in Old Saybrook in April. Members decided to stick with the fall one only for now. The Director and City Counsel will attend the February meeting. The Chair will invite the Mayor to the March meeting. A resident will be attending in February to talk about a cigarette butt recycling program. Members asked about a recycling program for nip containers. Ms. O’Rourke said that is something they are looking at to include with the bottle deposit law. But she is unaware of a specific recycling program from the nips. The meeting adjourned at 8:35 pm. Respectfully submitted, Kim O’Rourke Kim O’Rourke Recycling Coordinator