Good News! Southbury Expands What Can be Recycled

Southbury has expanded its recycling abilities to include batteries, light bulbs, textiles, paints and electronics in addition to the single stream recycling that has been in place for several years. “Every Ton of recycled material saves the Town and its taxpayers $80.00; last year we saved approximately $128,000”, said First Selectman Ed Edelson. “We are trying to increase the amount the Town recycles by providing more publicity and information about what items are recyclable, how easy it is and how much it saves the taxpayers!”

The second – upper - level of the transfer station at 231 Kettletown Road now accepts ALL household batteries including AAA, AA, C, D, 9V hearing aid, cell phone, watch and others. Light bulbs also are recyclable on the second level: unbroken fluorescent, halogen and LED bulbs are welcomed. Incandescent bulbs should be thrown in the regular trash. Also on the second level is the paint collection area where leftover paint is accepted.

The latest addition to the recycling array is the collection of textiles in a separate container on the lower level of the transfer station. Acceptable items include footwear - from boots to flip flops and everything in between; clothing of all sorts - from coats to underwear; linens – towels, blankets, aprons, comforters, tablecloths, throw rugs, draperies, sheets, table linens; accessories – robes, belts, duffel bags, purses, gloves, hats, scarves, totes and stuffed animals, too.

Beginning with its Go Green, Go Southbury campaign last year, the Town has been working hard to increase awareness and use of its single-stream recycling program. Items that can be put in the single recycling bin – all together – include Paper and Cardboard, Plastic, Metal and Glass containers. All should be empty and rinsed; do not crush 3-D items. No plastic bags – they should be returned to the local grocery stored for recycling. The exception is for shredded paper that should be enclosed in clear plastic bags – this enables the folks at the recycling center to identify the shredded paper and immediately remove those bags from the stream for separate disposal. The Town now has larger (28% bigger) recycle bins available for $10 each – visit the First Selectman’s office in Town Hall to purchase one.

Other items that are recyclable include used antifreeze, boat shrink wrap, books, leaves and branches, scrap metal and waste oil. All of these items have a separate area for disposal at the transfer station. Please ask the attendant for instructions on where to deposit these items; there may be a fee associated with some items.

A complete, comprehensive list of all the items that can now be recycled in the Town of Southbury can be found at the following link:

www.southbury-ct.org/recycling