A shorter wait at the Portsmouth transfer station?

We hope to have a streamline flow — essentially an express line for recycling and trash.”

Raymond Antaya, Portsmouth’s recycling coordinator

PORTSMOUTH — By the end of this month, the transfer station should have a new look that town officials say will make things more convenient — and safer — for residents depositing their trash and recyclables there.

The town plans on removing the large recycling containers — separate bins for cardboard/paper and plastic, glass and aluminum/tin — located in the center of the lot near the entrance.

Starting around Nov. 30, residents will deposit all their mixed recyclables down one of the chutes inside the transfer station building. The other chute will be for regular trash. 

Other products such as metal, construction debris and yard waste — the latter is often tossed down one of the inside chutes now — will be deposited in bins along the back of the property.

Residents who have just regular trash and recyclables will form a line to the left, straight into the building. Those who have construction debris, yard waste, etc., will stay to the right, deposit their debris, then merge to the left if they need to get rid of trash or recyclables.

“We need to eliminate the open containers,” said Raymond Antaya, the town’s new recycling coordinator. He said the existing recycling containers slow traffic and pose a safety issue because residents could potentially injure themselves in one of the walk-in bins.

“We hope to have a streamline flow — essentially an express line for recycling and trash,” Mr. Antaya said. “If you have metal, if you have yard waste, it will go toward the right. I think it’s going to be a much safer situation for everyone and will be a lot faster.”

The move, officials say, should also improve the town’s recycling rates, which have dipped considerably since being in the 30th percentile in April 2013. Lower recycling rates mean a potential higher disposal fee from the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation (RIRRC) for exceeding the solid waste cap.

“I think the biggest thing is construction debris going in the waste stream,” said Council President Keith Hamilton, in commenting on the reason behind the lower recycling rates.

Single-stream recycling

Town Administrator Richard Rainer, Jr. said the plan to move to single-stream recycling should speed up everyone’s visit to the transfer station.

“The cans and bottles are being combined with the cardboard anyway, so we’re going to be putting it in one pit,” he said.

After the meeting, Brian Woodhead, deputy director of the Department of Public Works, said the only reason recyclables are being separated at the transfer station now is to prevent someone from stepping on a broken glass bottle in the walk-in bin. That container is dedicated to paper products only.

Council member Elizabeth Pedro said she liked the new layout but was concerned that some residents might not understand what single-stream recycling means. Some people, she said, think it means throwing all recyclables and trash into the same bin.

“But it’s only the recyclables that go together,” she said. “How do you make sure people don’t throw trash in with the recycling?”

Mr. Antaya said there are no guarantees, but he hopes to have someone monitoring the situation. There will also be new signs installed at the station and an “extended ad campaign” to inform residents of the changes, he said.   “The total cost to the town I don’t think would be greater than $3,000,” he said.

The council voted 5-0 to approve the new layout. Council member Kevin Aguiar recused himself from the vote, and Michael Buddemeyer was absent from the meeting.