Saturday, December 29, 2012

What Happens to Our Recyclables?

The post on Thursday assuring everyone that the Department of Public Works would be picking up recyclables in spite of the snow inspired one reader to ask why Hudson residents meticulously separate recyclables when everything now gets dumped into a garbage truck and hauled away. 

Gossips checked with DPW Superintendent Rob Perry, and here's the answer. We don't have to separate glass, metal, plastic, and paper anymore because, since August, Columbia County has been transporting recyclables directly to a "single stream" facility which separates glass, metal, plastic, and paper for us. This makes several things possible. Residents can put all their recycling into the same bin. DPW can pick up the recycling with the garbage truck, which has a greater capacity than the recycling truck. Collecting recyclables can be done in half the time. So starting next week--at the beginning of the new year--the recycling for the entire city will be picked up on Thursday.

Meanwhile, those of us accustomed to separating recyclables need to have faith that down the line there's an automated process doing the separating for us.

4 comments:

  1. Sorry to go astray on my comment but since we now have snow, what's the status on whether the toxic sludge from fracking is being used to de-ice our streets? Still want to know how we can stop this outrageous and hazardous proposal from being implemented in the City of Hudson. Legal suggestions?

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  2. I see Ulster County is signing a ban on use of Fracking Brine on their streets but the Dept of Public Works.

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  3. Ulster County Executive bans use of hydrofracking brine
    Posted on April 13, 2012 by Mountainkeeper
    Ulster County Executive bans use of hydrofracking brine
    YNN Hudson Valley – April 13, 2012
    I also hope it will serve as a model for other counties around New York State,”
    said Dr. Kathy Nolan, Catskill Mountain Keeper Regional Director.
    .........
    Statement from New Yorkers Against Fracking spokesperson David Braun
    on Ulster County Executive Mike Hein executive order
    banning the use of hydrofracking waste water as a de-icing agent on local roads:

    “We applaud Ulster County Executive Mike Hein’s executive order banning the use of brine,
    a dangerous hydrofracking waste product, as a de-icing agent on county roads.

    “Make no mistake, you wouldn’t want to eat a pickle that was sitting in this brine.
    New Yorkers shouldn’t be put at risk of toxic chemicals mixing with our water ways,
    our drinking water, our farms, and our communities.

    “The gas industry’s reckless attempt to entice localities to take their fracking wastewater
    is another indicator that they have no real plan in place for handling highly
    dangerous and radioactive fracking wastewater

    “We are counting on Governor Cuomo and the legislature to heed
    the growing body of science proving that fracking cannot be done
    without sacrificing our health and water.
    Only a ban on fracking will keep our state safe.”

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  4. A fracking ban will help keep New York poor, that's for certain (especially the western part of the State). Pennsylvania has added tens of thousands of jobs to their economy thanks to fracking.

    North Dakota has 3.2% unemployment thanks to the fracking industry.

    Why would New York State want to copy them?

    -- Jock Spivy

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