Rehoboth Transfer Station Sticker Sales Starts July 7th

Another fiscal year is behind us, and it's time for the new stickers at the Transfer Station. Sticker sales start on July 7th, and residents should purchase them by the end of the month. The stickers will be good until June 30, 2021, and will cost $40. Transfer Station hours are 4-7pm on Tuesdays, and 8am - 3pm on Saturdays. For those of you who may not be familiar with the Transfer Station, it is funded through pay as you throw fees, not through taxes. It is managed by the Board of Health. The Board would like to thank the Highway and Forestry Departments for their support services, such as plowing, sanding, and mowing. Both Departments go above and beyond to be helpful.

The annual sticker allows residents (no commercial use please) to utilize the facility, including the recycling area. Punch cards, 10 punches per card, cost $40 each, and disposal of one trash bag costs one punch. Other items have a varying number of punches required to cover disposal costs. The cost of trash disposal has increased, and we also must pay to dispose of some previously recyclable materials, as well as pay trucking costs. The punch card price had not been increased in 10 years, as the Board of Health has worked diligently to keep costs down. Unfortunately, we can no longer maintain services without additional revenue.

The recycling side of the Transfer Station has become one of the biggest issues we face. Years ago, we received rebates for the materials, now there is very little demand for any of it. China was once a top destination for U.S. material. In 2018, they imposed a strict contamination standard. They will not accept U.S. material that is more than 0.5% contaminated, and there is almost no U.S. market either. Contamination includes dirty materials, but mostly refers to materials that don't belong. While we appreciate residents' enthusiasm for recycling, it needs to be done correctly. We had a whole load of metal rejected by the recycler because they spotted a propane tank on the load. Propane tanks must be empty, and must be disposed of separately.

Our Transfer Station Manager, and workers, try to direct residents properly, but can't catch everything. If there is a question as to where something belongs, please ask. For instance, clean plastic containers, #1 through #7, are accepted. Oil containers are trash, as are plastic toys. Oily food containers, such as peanut butter jars, should also be tossed. Cardboard should be clean. Don't use it to catch the oil drips from your car, and then try to recycle it. Also, not recyclable, are cardboard items that are made to withstand moisture, or hold frozen food. Most of these have a waxy feel to them, and have a plastic coating. Metal is the only item we consistently get a rebate for, although it barely covers the trucking fee. Items must actually be metal. A lawn chair with an aluminum frame, and plastic webbing should not be thrown in. Cut off the webbing, include it in your trash, and the metal frame can be recycled.

Glass has not actually been recycled in years. It was used as landfill cover for some time, but at this point it's hard to even pay to get rid of it. No one wants it. Trying to dispose of 11-13 tons of glass at one time, has become such an issue that we will no longer accept it. Please include it with you trash.
On a side note, this will make for some unhappy yellow jackets. The single biggest item seen in the glass container in Rehoboth has been wine bottles. Since most have not been thoroughly rinsed out, there was often a large swarm of happy yellow jackets at the glass container!

Electronics contain precious metals, and often mercury. They need to go in a separate container, and we have to charge for that, due to the high cost of disposing of them. Mattress rates keep changing, so residents may want to check current prices. They must be clean and dry and get put in a separate container, NOT in the furniture bin. Most places that sell mattresses also can arrange to take the old ones for disposal, and residents are encouraged to use this option.

We accept properly recycled items, as well as household trash, bulky items, white goods, electronics, tires, paint, mattresses, and EMPTY propane tanks. Charges for all these items vary. Check our website, or ask the Transfer Station Manager for prices. We also accept leaves and grass clippings at the compost bin, and residents may take composted material.

Construction And Demolition Material Cannot Be Accepted!

I hope these answers some of the questions that I have heard recently. Please help us to dispose of items properly, and don't be afraid to ask employees where items should go.

Sincerely,
Rachel Smith,
Chairman, Board of Health