Springfield Recycling rates hiked starting Monday, Oct. 2

By Cynthia Prairie
©2013 Telegraph Publishing LLC

As of Monday, Oct. 2, the cost for a sheet of 25 tickets for the Springfield Recycling Center will increase $2.25 from $11.25 to a base price of $13.50 a sheet. Each ticket is good for 4 pounds of trash, or 100 pounds per sheet.

Consumers will see a hike of 2.25 cents per pound or 9 cents per 4-pound ticket.

The base price of $13.50 is available when sheets are purchased at either the Springfield or the Chester town halls. Sheets purchased at local businesses are subject to an added charge that each business determines.

Dan Farrar, Springfield Recycling coordinator, said the rate increase has been under consideration for “quite a while,” spurred by the new state law requiring more items to be recycled paired with the drop in the value of recyclables.  Farrar said both eat into the center’s profits. The center sells recyclables to add to its revenue stream.

The center, located at 135 Fairground Road in Springfield, serves the towns of Andover, Athens, Baltimore,  Chester and  Springfield. But according to Farrar, it accepts trash from all over.  It is open 12:30-4:30 p.m. Mondays; 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Wednesdays and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays.

The cost of the sheets and where they can be purchased are:

• Springfield Town Office, 96 Main St. in Springfield, $13.50.
• Chester Town Office, 556 Elm St. in Chester, $13.50.
• Jake’s South Street Market, 181 South St. in Springfield, $13.50.
• Mobile Station, 209 River St. in Springfield, unknown.
  
• Joe’s Discount Beverage, 335 River St. in Springfield, $15.
  
• Kwik Stop, 360 River St. in Springfield, $15.
• Route 106 Deli,  112 VT-106 in North Springfield,  $13.50.
• Chester Hardware, 21 Main St. in Chester, $14.