Video Report: Sweitzer Single Stream Recycling

There’s a new blue canister on the block popping up alongside the familiar green trash bins in a number of shoreline towns thanks to single stream recycling and an initiative taken by Sweitzer Waste Removal of Clinton. 

After the Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority finished upgrades to the Hartford recycling processing center two years ago enabling haulers to bring in mixed recyclable materials, Sweitzer Waste Removal owner Dave Perrotti recognized the opportunity.

“What went through my mind first was that here was an opportunity to recycle more material than we have in the past 20 years.  I was were pretty excited about it because to me it should have been done from the beginning. Environmentally it was the way to go I thought, to pick up as much as we could.”

According to Perrotti, since customers did not have to separate bottles, cans, cardboard and paper with single stream recycling, a greater volume of recyclables began showing up at curbside and it seemed like a logical step for his company to offer a large wheeled “tote” to accommodate that. Perrotti said the expansion of recyclable plastic containers to include those marked from one to seven, also contributed to the increase in volume.

The recycling totes, look much like the wheeled curbside trash containers except for the distinctive powder blue color and are being made available to customers in the towns that Sweitzer services including, Guilford, Madison, Clinton, Westbrook and Old Saybrook.

Perrotti told us that although he made a significant capital investment to purchase the recycling totes, he can still offer his services to customers at a competitive price. “ We are gaining customers who are switching to us because we offer this additional service” This has led to a 10 percent increase in recycling volume according to Perrotti who tell us that his company picks up 12 or more tons per day.

In addition to providing a convenience to customers, the large curbside recycling containers also brought an added benefit to Sweitzer and its drivers. “ Number one they are not actually manually picking up the bins, which could weight 30 or 40 pounds. So obviously they’re not risking and back or shoulder injuries. Summarizing the driver’s benefit Perrotti told us “They like it because they can have a longer career.” 

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