Pembroke's Recycling Contamination Rate Jumps to 23%, Prompting Education Push
Town Manager Bill Chenard expresses frustration as recent audit shows dramatic increase from previous 12-13% contamination levels, with yard waste and plastic bags identified as primary culprits.
PEMBROKE - August 6 - Pembroke officials are launching an intensified public education campaign after a recent recycling audit revealed the town's contamination rate has spiked to 23%, nearly double the 12-13% levels maintained from 2020 to 2024.
Town Manager Bill Chenard announced the audit results during the August 6 Select Board meeting, expressing significant frustration with the dramatic increase that will substantially raise the town's recycling processing costs.
"I am incredibly frustrated," Chenard said. "The Recycling and Sustainability Committee, myself, Sabrina Chilcott, have spent a ton of time trying to educate the public on the importance of making sure that we only put recyclables in the recycling bins."
The audit, conducted over two weeks in mid to late July, identified yard waste and plastic bags as the two biggest contaminants in Pembroke's recycling stream. The contamination level represents the highest rate since 2019, when it reached 25.9%.
"The two biggest contaminants on this audit were yard waste and plastic bags," Chenard explained. "Yard waste does not go in recycle bins."
Plastic bags pose particular problems for recycling facilities because they get caught in processing equipment, causing shutdowns and massive delays. Chenard emphasized that residents should not put recyclables in plastic bags or place plastic bags in recycling bins.
"If you want to store them in your home in a plastic bag, take your plastic bag to your recycle bin and empty it," he said.
The yard waste contamination particularly surprised officials, as the town offers free disposal at the recycling center and the audit was conducted during summer months rather than typical spring or fall cleanup periods.
"The yard waste one caught my eye," Chenard said. "We didn't, the last, I took a look at the last audit and there was no yard waste in the last audit."
The town plans to implement several corrective measures, including working with their recycling vendor to flag contaminated bins with stickers and conducting their own audits on routes that showed high contamination levels. The vendor has agreed to perform another audit in six to eight months to measure improvement.
Chenard indicated the town will explore expanding access to yard waste disposal, currently limited to one day per week at the recycling center. Select Board members suggested reopening Sunday hours seasonally, as was done in previous years.
The contamination increase will result in higher tipping fees for the town's recycling program, though specific cost impacts are still being calculated.
In other business, the Select Board approved a 90-day door-to-door solicitation permit for Trinity Solar representative Nolan Haynes. The permit allows sales activities from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. or dusk, whichever comes first, Monday through Sunday, expiring Nov. 6.
Select Board members clarified timing restrictions with Haynes, emphasizing that solicitation must cease at 8 p.m. or when dusk arrives, whichever occurs first.
"If I were to knock until, hypothetically speaking, 8:30, and the police are called on me," Haynes asked.
"You cannot," Chair Tracy Marino responded. "If the permit allows for you until 8, it's only until 8."
Town Manager Chenard noted Trinity Solar maintains a good reputation with the town, having not caused previous issues with door-to-door activities.
The board also approved maximum useful life determinations for two pieces of equipment authorized for borrowing at the May 13 town meeting. Both a DPW street sweeper and Ford dump truck received 10-year maximum useful life designations.
Chenard explained the street sweeper purchase represents the town's first owned unit after unsuccessful attempts at sharing equipment with neighboring communities and contracting services. The decision comes as EPA stormwater permit requirements under MS-4 regulations become more stringent.
"We shared one a few years ago with neighboring communities. That really didn't work out," Chenard said. "Unfortunately, even though the cost benefits said it would work, it ended up being more costly because of downtime and extra items that got added."
The board approved utility easements required for the public safety building projects, allowing National Grid to provide power to the facilities.
Other agenda items included:
• Opening the warrant for a special town meeting scheduled for Oct. 21, with warrant submissions accepted from Aug. 11-15
• Announcing upcoming community events including the Art Festival, Farmer's Market, and a Vo-Tech presentation scheduled for Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. at the Community Center
The Vo-Tech presentation will feature Superintendent Erin Obey and Select Board liaisons discussing the upcoming town meeting vote on joining the South Shore Vo-Tech district.
Chair Marino also reminded residents that the Hometown Heroes Banner Program continues accepting applications through Sept. 1, with applications available outside the veterans agent's office at Town Hall.