The Department of Public Works plans to revert to dual-stream recycling collection, as the City Council discovered that the department violated a city ordinance by instituting a single-stream collection model. Councilors Joseph McGiverin and David Bartley raised concerns about effective waste management strategies and how trash and recyclables are processed. The Finance Committee invited the newly hired DPW director, Carl Rossi, and the Public Works Board chair, Mary Monahan, for a “friendly” discussion.
- The first was to continue with the costlier single-stream plan, costing about $25,000 annually and requiring amending the recycling ordinance.
- The second option calls for formalizing single-stream collections, forgoing the new recycling trucks priced at $265,000 each, and reducing revenues paid to the city.
- The third option was for Holyoke to return to dual-stream recycling in the coming months, properly using the new recycling trucks, producing higher revenues and reducing disposable costs.
The Public Works Board settled on the dual-stream model, which falls under a current ordinance. In response, the DPW signed a 13-month contract with the Springfield Material Recycling Facility, realigning with established regional recycling programs.