~ Submitted by Elizabeth Atanavaca, Bedford Recycling Administrator
Editor’s Note: Announcing spring hours for the Composting/Recycling Center on Carlisle Road and curbside yard waste collection.
The DPW has announced the schedule for the Spring Composting and Recycling Center. The site, located at 108 Carlisle Rd, will continue to be open to residents every Wednesday and every other Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., with extended hours on Saturdays in May.
Yard waste, cardboard and glass for recycling as well as batteries, light bulbs and other articles containing mercury are accepted on the site all year round. Resident access stickers are required. Stickers can be obtained at DPW, 314 Great Rd, during business hours. Please bring your vehicle registration document and driver’s license or utility bill as proof of residence when applying for a vignette.
Residents can also take home finished compost and wood chips from the composting centre.
When available, these materials are located to the left of the site as you approach the exit. The material is generated from what residents bring to the site. Finished compost is screened, but not tested for quality or contaminants.
Yard waste is prohibited in household waste in accordance with the MassDEP Solid Waste Disposal Ban.
Republic Services may reject any garbage cart containing yard waste or trees. Residents can compost yard waste on their own property, bring the materials to the composting and recycling center or put them curbside for collection on Tuesday, April 19, 2022.
Acceptable materials include leaves, pine needles, grass clippings, weeds, and tree material up to one inch (1″) in diameter. Materials should be placed in waste paper bags containers or open barrels clearly marked “yard waste. Residents should avoid using old rectangular recycling bins for curbside yard waste, as it can be difficult for visitors to identify. No plastic bags of any kind will be accepted Curbside yard waste should be placed for collection on Monday evening April 18and.
Republic Services will begin collecting yard waste route on Tuesday April 19and. It can take several days to get to everyone in Bedford. If your garden waste has not been picked up by Friday, April 22n/aplease call the DPW at (781)275-7605 and leave a message for the recycling administrator.
For those interested in learning more about backyard composting, Bedford Mother’s Out Front will be hosting a “Learn to Compost” Earth Day event, on the green space outside the Bedford Free Library on Saturday, April 23.rd, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Bedford DPW has garden compost bins available for residents. Each bin costs $45 and includes a free countertop food waste collection container. To purchase a bin, visit the DPW or email [email protected]. Cash or checks payable to “Town of Bedford” are accepted.