OPINION: Hefty "Recycling Bags" Will Cost Westwood Hefty Surcharges

The following opinion article represents the views and opinions of the author, and not necessarily those of Westwood Minute.

By Claire Galkowski

In January, the Westwood Department of Public Works announced that the recycling in our carts had gotten so bad that we would be subject to hefty contamination surcharges if we residents didn’t clean up our collective act.

Chief among the offending articles is plastic bags, and bagged recyclables. It turns out that one source of the problem is an item sold on our grocer’s shelves: Hefty Recycling Bags.

No municipal recycling program in Massachusetts accepts plastic bags or bagged recyclables. Bagged material is pulled out and discarded. Bags that aren't spotted and pulled off the fast moving conveyor belts can tangle up the screens and cause system shutdowns regularly. One has to wonder why the bags are sold in our Commonwealth.

After I spied this item on the shelf of our supermarket, I brought it up with the manager on duty, and followed up with the following email:

"When I was shopping today, I noticed that you carry Hefty Recycling bags. These should be outlawed in Mass., as our recycling facilities can't sort bagged recyclables. They end up in the trash.

The Town of Westwood is trying to get residents to clean up our recycling, as our contamination rate is close to 20%, and we are being heavily surcharged. The top contaminant is plastic bags.

A neighbor I spoke with was horrified to learn this, as she had been buying "recycling' bags and putting her recyclables in them for years.

I respectfully request that (your store) discontinue this item at all its stores. No recycling facilities in the state can handle bagged recyclables, or loose plastic bags.

Thank you for your consideration."

I haven't heard back yet.

We can all help move this along by not buying this deceptive item, and asking store managers to discontinue selling it.

Let’s all take a few minutes to learn how to recycle right! That’s the only way our recyclables can become new products.

Thanks to Claire Galkowski, Westwood resident, for contributing this opinion article to Westwood Minute.

Westwood Minute takes no position on the opinion articles that it publishes, but seeks accurate and thoughtful commentary on topics that matter to our community, from a variety of differing viewpoints. Feel free to reply with your reaction below, or submit another perspective to WestwoodInAMinute@gmail.com.

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