Recycling audit shows some Lowell residents not trying hard enough - Lowell Sun

LOWELL — Mid-way through the most recent audit of the city’s recyclables, City Manager Eileen Donoghue was less than thrilled with the results.

“We’ve had some good days,” she said. “We’ve had some really bad days.”

Donoghue did not go into numbers at Tuesday’s City Council meeting, but a week ago she said the first day of the two-week audit found 35 percent contamination. The second day was 18 percent.

In 2018, contamination averaged near 40 percent. It set the city back $75,000. Steep penalties for non-recycling in recycling bins cost the city millions in its recent contract with service provider Waste Management.

Donoghue expects to deliver a report with numbers from the Jan. 13 to 24 Waste Management audit to the City Council in coming weeks. She said the report may also include suggestions.

“We’re going to have to deal with this as a city, because it’s critically important,” she said.

As new costs pile on related to the changing worldwide recycling market, she said the city has made an effort to educate and reach out to people incorrectly recycling. In some cases, Donoghue said people appear to not even be trying to recycle and stick notices from the city about the issue in the violating recycling bin.

“We have some real scofflaws. … This isn’t education. This is complete disregard,” she said.

Also on Tuesday, City Council:

• Heard a presentation on the Community Choice Aggregate program
• Accepted a $100,000 grant from the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security to cover staffing in the Lowell Fire Department and reduce brownouts.
• Accepted a $162,5000 grant from the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security to cover staffing at the Lowell Police Department to increase foot and bicycle patrols and help cover for officers who are out sick.
• Accepted a $634,862 grant from the Shannon Community Safety Initiative grant to help implement an anti-gang and youth violence strategy among other programs.

Motions

• Requested City Council ask the city’s Statehouse delegation to work with administration to fund a $4 million earmark for the study and design of facilities for police and fire services.
• Requested an update on the power house and coal pocket buildings on Market Street.
• Requested an update on the employee incentive program offered by the city
• Requested the city assessor’s office hold community meetings to guide residents through the process of filing for tax abatements for property assessments.
• Requested the city manager to have the commissioner of public works to ensure repaving work done by contractors is done properly
• Requested the city manager have the proper departments initiate a drop-off program for unwanted items that cannot be put in the trash or recycled under the current system
• Requested the city manager provide a report on efforts by the city clerk’s officer to digitize public records and place them online.

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Recycling audit shows some Lowell residents not trying hard enough - Lowell Sun
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