From Harford County Government:
(Bel Air, MD) – As part of a special presentation on May 18, 2010 to the Harford County Council, Harford County Executive David R. Craig along with Robert B. Cooper, Director of Public Works, and Tom Hilton, Deputy Director of the Division of Environmental
Services, announced Harford County has contracted with WM Recycle America to move forward with a new and improved recycling program for Harford County that will begin the week of September 12, 2010.“Harford County’s partnership with WM Recycle America will not only meet the County’s global goals of conserving resources and energy, but will also result in a savings of over $400,000 per year to the County’s operating budget” County Executive Craig stated.
“In addition to these green initiatives, the Single Stream Recycling Program will be much more convenient for the County residents and will allow additional items to be recycled, thereby encouraging more participation and reducing how much waste is placed in our
landfill.” This program is part of Craig’s Environmental Stewardship initiative, “Protect and preserve the County’s environment through efficient use and reuse of its resources.”Harford County has adopted the slogan of All Together Now! to advertise the new Single Stream Recycling Program. Single Stream recycling will allow residents to put paper and cardboard; with bottles and cans in the same container. Additional items which the
Single Stream program will accept include: books, narrow-neck plastic containers; wide-mouth plastic containers; aluminum foil, aluminum foil and rigid plastic such as outdoor furniture, coolers, garbage cans, drinking cups, pails, 5-gallon buckets, flower pots, and plastic toys. As always, all material must first be lightly rinsed.
Prior to September 12, the Harford County Recycling Office will be mailing out to all Harford County households detailed information on the Single Stream Recycling Program along with recycling stickers to place on their containers to designate them for recyclables. Residents can also place an “X” on the side of their container if they wish.Mr. Hilton emphasized that one of the differences with the new Single Stream Program is that your recyclables will no longer be able to be placed within plastic bags. All material must be commingled loosely in a container. “Plastic bags create operational difficulties with the Single Stream processing equipment but residents are encouraged to recycle them by contacting one of the many grocery stores in Harford County which accept bags for recycling” said Hilton.
No longer will residents have to follow a recycling calendar. We have been told by the private trash collectors that whatever day of the week is their regularly scheduled recycling pick-up that will also be the day of the week for Single Stream recycling as well”
said Tom Hilton.Mr. Hilton finished the announcement by stating “For many years now Harford County has been the leader in the State with achieving the highest recycling rates. Despite this enormous success, we can still improve and become better stewards of the environment.
Come September 12; let’s show you care by putting your recyclables out …….All Together
For further information regarding the new Single Stream Program or where stickers are available contact the Harford County Recycling Office at 410-638-3417, Monday – Friday during normal business hours or visit the Harford County website at www.Harfordcountymd.gov.
The county should supply recycling bins. About 20 years ago when I lived in Anaheim, CA the city gave all of its residents *three* bins: a green one for plastic/glass/aluminum, a brown one for lawn & leaf and a black one for trash. It was easy….and the bins were picked up by a claw-like device on the side of the truck, dumped the waste in the truck and it put them back on the ground. Usually there was only one man per truck so the city offset the cost of the bins with lower labor costs.