Mayor James J. Fiorentini and Amanda Buckley are touting the importance of recycling in the City of Haverhill. (Courtesy photograph)
In the wake of a $42,000 grant received by the City of Haverhill to bolster recycling efforts, Mayor James J. Fiorentini has announced that inspectors will soon monitor the contents of residents’ curbside bins for compliance.
The decision to more closely track the city’s recyclables comes after the company that facilitates the collection of recyclables said it would charge extra for contaminated loads.
Residents who put out improper materials will receive a notice that future collections at their address will be in jeopardy if the issue is not resolved, Fiorentini’s office said.
“Recycling efforts have saved the city more than $2 million in reduced trash disposal costs since we began citywide curbside recycling in 2010,” Fiorentini said in a statement. “We want recycling in the city to continue and to get even better, so we are always looking at how we can improve how we do it.”
Amanda Buckley, Haverhill’s new solid waste and recycling coordinator, plans to use a portion of the state grant money for a citywide education program advising residents of the best use of recycling bins.
In general, recyclable items include paper and cardboard, glass bottles and jars, most plastic containers, empty aerosol cans, and clean aluminum trays, plates and foil.