By John Thompson
Assistant Town Engineer
3/17/11
The town of Milton and its solid waste vendor, Waste Management, have entered into a Single Stream Recycling pilot program.

Single Stream Recycling essentially means that residents can place all of their recyclables together in one recycling container curbside, with no need for sorting.

Historically, Milton has been a dual stream recycling community, meaning paper and cardboard products had to be placed curbside separate from glass, plastic and metal containers. Materials sorted by residents were collected on trucks with multiple compartments and processed separately at recycling facilities.

Under the new Single Stream program, which took effect Jan. 24, all the same types of recyclables are being collected – paper, cardboard, metals, glass and plastics. But Single Stream removes the burden of sorting recyclables from the residents and places it on the recycling facilities themselves. All recyclable materials are collected together in a single-compartment vehicle, and are dumped together on the tipping floors at these facilities. The materials are then sent up conveyer lines for various types of sorting, using both human picking and mechanical, pneumatic, and optical technologies to do so. When sorting is complete, the materials are finally compressed, baled and shipped as separate, reusable materials to various end users.

Single Stream is becoming much more prevalent as current technologies for sorting materials improve and new technologies emerge.

The only real change for residents is that recycling should be easier and more convenient. All recyclables can be place together curbside.

Further, since single stream recycling trucks are not compartmentalized, cardboard no longer has to be reduced to 3-foot square bundles to fit on the trucks. Residents are encouraged to place all loose recyclables together in a single (up to 32-gallon) container, clearly labeled “recycling.” However, existing recycle bins can certainly still be used.

Cardboard simply needs to be flattened. Large recycling stickers are available to all residents free of charge at Town Hall, located at 525 Canton Ave., or at the Department Public Works Yard, which is located at 629 Randolph Ave.

There are many benefits to Single Stream Recycling. This type of program should mean fewer trips to the curb for residents, and cleaner streets on trash day, especially on windy days.