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MESSAGE FROM MAYOR DANNEL P. MALLOY
Over the last year, Stamford has undertaken a number of major changes and improvements to our system of collecting and disposing of solid waste and recycling. Some of these changes were driven by budget reductions that took effect in July 2007. But since then we have continued to make changes in order to improve services, increase recycling rates, and continue to save taxpayer money.
I thought it would be helpful to review the list of changes we have made, and some of the additional changes that are being planned or are scheduled to be implemented soon.
First, the following changes have already been implemented or are planned for the near future in the area of garbage collection:
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Instituted curbside pick-up per new City Ordinance.
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Issued toter bins to all residents to allow for automated or semi-automated collection.
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Purchased and installed hydraulic equipment to convert existing packer trucks to semi-automated collection.
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Purchased and put into use a one-arm garbage collection truck allowing for one-driver operation.
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Established procedures for approval of garbage collection regulations for new condominiums as part of zoning approval.
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Expanded medical waiver program for backyard garbage collection based on adopted regulations.
In the area of Recycling, the following changes have already been implemented or are planned for the near future:
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Assumed responsibility for weekly co-mingled recycling pick up and enhanced recycling program to pick up mixed paper curbside weekly instead of only once a month.
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Purchased 8 new recycling trucks allowing for weekly simultaneous gray and blue bin recycling.
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Installed an electric-powered cardboard compactor at Mygatt Recycling Center.
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Installed a privacy fence along the entranceway at Mygatt Center.
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Created a new fluorescent light bulb recycling program, which has resulted in 749 pounds of recycled fluorescent light bulbs to date.
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Modified Scofieldtown Recycling Center hours to include Saturday hours year-round and seasonal Sunday hours.
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Establishing a program by meeting with school Principals and the Board of Education to improve BOE recycling. This program includes hosting school assemblies, field trips to the Transfer Station, etc.
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Acceptance as a Capstone Project for the NYU Graduate Intern program. The project is to analyze and review strategies to enable the City to improve recycling participation.
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Implementing a new contract for sorting and marketing of recycling that will provide revenue to the City and reduce hauling and processing costs.
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Adding collection and recycling of #3 through #7 plastic containers in the curbside commingled container stream.
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Adding collection and recycling of paperboard in the curbside mixed-paper stream.
Finally, in the area of Transfer Station Operations and Haulaway, the following changes have been implemented or are planned for in the near future:
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Instituted a new contract with Transload, reducing haulaway costs by $11 per ton.
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Conducted weekly meetings with Transload, garbage baling contractor, to discuss problems, improvements, and areas of concern.
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Instituted new worker safety procedures in the Transfer Station.
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Added new Cash Receipts software in the scalehouse, improving internal cash control and reporting.
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Implemented a swap process with local vendor to swap ton for ton the bulky waste processed at the Scale House for the vendor’s Stamford-collected MSW (kitchen waste). This will eliminate the need to operate a shredder for bulky waste during the night shift and reduce dust in the Transfer Station.
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Working with the Engineering Department to bid for and install video cameras at the Transfer Station and Recycling Centers to combat against illegal dumping.
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Revising work schedules to control overtime within our budget.
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Bidding design of improvements to offices, locker areas and break rooms for collection staff and management.
I hope you will agree that all of us should be proud of our progress in this area. I also hope you will join me in thanking the fantastic staff of our solid waste division, from the laborers and drivers who collect our waste, to the staff of the transfer station, the scale house and the recycling centers, to the managers who have helped the entire staff rise to these challenges so well.
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