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My previous post on recycling compared Lowell’s effort to that of Worcester, to Lowell’s detriment. But there is more to the story.  On the plus side, Lowell’s recycling program seems to be newly-energized, with bi-weekly columns in the Lowell Sun by Recycling Coordinator Gunther Wellenstein and a page on the city website that lists FAQs, upcoming events and hazardous waste days.  The Mission Statement on the website sums up the problem and the approach — I thought it was well worth copying in part: 

Massachusetts’ waste generation continues to outpace the state’s disposal capacity resulting in the need to export trash to other states. Increasing pressure is being placed on each state, by the Environmental Protection Agency, to provide disposal capacity for all the waste it generates. Incinerators and landfills are both sources of pollution affecting the quality of our air and water; building more of these facilities is not the answer. Therefore, the mission of Lowell’s Recycling office is to reduce the amount of trash generated by our City.

By perusing the site, I learned that Lowell has a ‘freecycle’ list where residents can post items they would like to get rid of for free–cool! You can also purchase compost bins and read about how to compost your yard and kitchen waste, which has given me the impetus to start up my compost pile again. I’ve gone from feeling slightly apologetic about my recycling compulsion to someone on a mission to spread the word about recycling – starting with my family!