Introduction

On the 14th of January, my class (G block) went to the Andover Transfer Station. The day we went, it was sleeting outside and very cold. We first stopped by and talked to Jeff Sweet, the manager. He told us all about the different systems in place and how they work. After that Alan McIntyre gave us a tour of the Transfer Station. We went to all of the bins that Jeff talked about even though it was too cold, it was nice to see what we had been talking about in class. 

Where does all your trash go? What happens to it next?

This depends on how much effort the person disposing of their trash puts in. If they sort their trash into recyclables and nonrecyclables, then the trash goes into different bins to be useful for something else, depending on what it is. The plastic and unsorted trash go into a compactor and then get increased. The energy that is produced from this is sold.  

Find out what materials are recovered and why?

Glass, paper, and cardboard are reusable products that are recovered. Glass gets brought down to New London, where it gets turned into sidewalk and asphalt. Cardboard is the transfer station's biggest money maker. It has to be clean, dry, and grease-free. The cardboard is compacted and turned into rolls. They make 150$ per roll. Lastly, they have a small secondhand area where you can put stuff you don't want anymore, but someone else might want. 

Be sure to think outside your "bag" - what about food waste? Yard waste? E-Waste? Other stuff?

The Andover transfer station has a big burn pile for wood waste. They burn the pile when the weather is nicer, and there's no wind. The wood has to be clean, so no varnish or paint. If the wood is “dirty," the person disposing of it must pay extra. They also have to pay extra for old appliances because they contain a lot of toxic waste that must be disposed of in a special way. They have a bin for construction and demolition materials, but they don't have one for compost, so food scraps and similar products go into the compactor with the plastic.

How and why is the town waste management service/system different from Proctors?

The Andover Transfer Station is very dependent on the market for recyclables. For example, sometimes they will recycle and sell aluminum, but only when the demand is high. When it's not, they will store it or put it with the plastic. The transfer station is a great way to see locals and your neighbors because everyone has trash and needs to dispose of it (when we were there, I saw Dan Mori, who was my history teacher freshman year). The station is a good way to dispose of trash, but because Andover is such a small town, there are things that they can't afford to recycle like plastics, styrofoam, or compostables. Buts is not a bad styrofoam it has its flaws, but ultimately the town of Andover is better for it. 

How and why is the town waste management service/system different from Proctors?

We contract a different company called Casella at Proctor to take care of our trash. We have general recycling and general trash. This is very different from the Andover Transfer Station, where all of the trash gets sorted by the person disposing of their trash. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, I learned a lot from our field trip to the Andover Transfer Station. It has made me realize how much thought and effort goes into disposing of trash. Everything that is recycled needs an entire system just for that category of trash. I would like to thank Jeff and Alan for teaching us about our temporary home at Proctor Academy and the things that make our life here possible.  

For more information visit the Andover Transfer Station homepage