Recent transfer station changes prompted questions about how the station operates, which then led to more questions about residents’ use of the transfer station and where the recycled materials and waste materials go.

To get both a factual and a historical perspective on Harvard’s transfer station, I contacted Chris Ryan. For years, Chris has served on the Transfer Station Committee and along with Judy Joslin, he continues to work toward keeping the volunteer positions staffed on Wednesdays and Saturdays. While Chris knows a lot about the transfer station operation, he also knows a tremendous amount about recycling in general. Over the years, he has maintained statistics about Harvard’s recycling habits and has made recommendations to the Board of Selectmen about the operation of the station. During our conversation, I was impressed with how knowledgeable he is on all matters of recycling from an industry, operational, and environmental perspective.

Harvard’s transfer station is managed by Rich Nota, the new director of the Department of Public Works (DPW). Rich gets direction from the Board of Selectmen through the town administrator. He and his employees make most of the decisions about the day-to-day operation of the station. In addition to the DPW employees, there are usually two or three volunteers helping out. Volunteers assist residents at the recycling stations, while DPW employees work the balers, compacters, and fee-based drop-off areas.

I asked Chris about the cost of a transfer station sticker, and why it has risen so dramatically over the past several years. He explained that the transfer station sticker fee covers the cost of operations. The main expense is the cost associated with hauling the trash to a landfill. That cost may be offset by any revenue the town receives for the recycled materials. Harvard has a contract with a hauler and pays for trash disposal by the ton. The hauling cost per ton has gone up rapidly over the years, while the price paid for recycled materials fluctuates based on market demand for recycled materials. Certain recycled materials even cost money to get rid of, but far less than it would cost to transport them to a landfill, so there is a financial incentive to recycle such materials. For example, clear glass recycling may vary from bringing in revenue of $20 per ton, to costing the town $20 per ton. But since each ton of trash costs more than $100 to haul away, recycling glass saves the town at least $80 per ton. And that benefit doesn’t even consider the environmental benefits of recycling over using a landfill.

So we know that the more we recycle the more we save. In the late 1990s, townspeople recycled about 29 percent of available material. Recycling then seems to have peaked in 2002 when about 33.5 percent of the waste generated was recycled. But since 2002, that recycling rate has been in a slight decline, with about 32 percent of material recycled, according to the most recently collected data.

Harvard could definitely be doing better. Despite our reputation as a progressive, environmentally sensitive community, a 32 percent recycling rate is not hard to beat. The city of Worcester, for example, has a recycling rate of 50 percent. That number may be high due to a Pay-As-You-Throw program they instituted, in which residents pay for each bag of trash. These programs have been proven to greatly increase the rate of recycling in communities that have adopted them.

So why is our recycling rate so low, and possibly in decline? My guess is that the rate may be attributed to changing demographics. According to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection web site, “There is a clear pattern of [recycling rate] differences based on age. Older residents are significantly more likely to say their household is committed to recycling (78 percent) followed by those between the ages of 36 and 55 (60 percent), and then by younger residents under age 35. As our average resident age goes down, so does our recycling rate.

Since we all share the cost of trash hauling through the price of the transfer station sticker, we can reduce the price of the sticker by recycling as much as we can, composting where possible, and making purchases with consideration to minimal packaging.

There is another way we can affect what we pay for a transfer station sticker. Since there is always a need for staffing the volunteer positions, consider volunteering time to staff the recycling stations. It is a great way to meet other people in town, so new residents especially should consider it an excellent orientation exercise. Shifts are two hours on Saturdays and one-and-a-half hours on Wednesdays. That’s easy to squeeze into a busy schedule, and short enough to remain comfortable on cold days. The shed provides a windbreak and weather protection, and the sorting activity keeps you moving and warm. Veteran volunteers will teach you everything you need to know, and information sheets are provided in the shed in case of uncertainty. There is another incentive to volunteer: the shifts you work provide credits toward a discounted sticker. Working six shifts earns a 50 percent discount, and 12 shifts result in a free sticker. That is a great deal at $225 per sticker! For those not volunteering, thank and encourage the volunteers for their efforts: they keep the operation going for all of us.

Pressed for Details is written by South Shaker Road resident and former Planning Board member Marc Sevigny, who welcomes your questions about living in Harvard. Send them to features@harvardpress.com.