BWRC Minutes September 2, 2021 CITY OF BEVERLY
WASTE REDUCTION COMMITTEE
Meeting Minutes
Thursday, September 2, 2021 at 6:30 PM
Google Meet: https://meet.google.com/sat-zqxt-brs
Call to order: 6:34 pm
Committee members present: Susan Higgins (Chair), Sandy Burgess, Nancy Dillon, Lisa
Willwerth
Committee members absent: John Swain, Toni Musante, Joyce Herman
Invited participants and guests: Erina Keefe, Gail Sowerder-Garron, Ben Hacker
Committee business
1. Review minutes for August 2021 meeting
a. Dillon moved to accept the minutes; Willwerth seconded. The motion carried(4-
0).
2. Meeting location - Admin
a. The Design Review Board requested to use Conference Room A to host their
monthly meetings. The WRC agreed to shift regular meetings to the library,
which will allow for higher occupancy and social distancing.
b. The November meeting will be virtual.
c. Keefe will ask for availability of community rooms.
City updates on waste/recycling/composting initiatives
1. Food scrap drop-off site
a. Communication plan
i. News of the station will be shared through social media (City,
Resilient Together, and Black Earth); press release to local media;
senior center newsletter; and email through Resilient Together,
Green Beverly, and WRC distribution lists. The BevRec magazine
is no longer mailed.
ii. Keefe will add a Google Maps location for the bins.
iii. On-site: Signage program should communicate that the bin is for
registered users and dumping is illegal. Highly visible, creative
signage for the station is yet to be determined. The bin will need
laminated labels and composting guides. Curbside composting
should also be communicated on-site for those who enjoy the
program but would like to partake in the more convenient option.
b. Registration form
i. Higgins will work with Keefe to refine prior registration forms
(e.g., Project Oscar in Boston; Salem Mack Park)for Beverly,
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including questions that gather data about why people are interested
in using the station.
ii. Keefe will create a feedback form.
c. Monitoring - WRC members and staff will help monitor the site between
pick-ups and report the condition and any issues. Keefe will create a
Google Sheets monitoring form for discussion at the next meeting.
d. For the City to be eligible for an additional RDP point for the compost
collection station, backyard composting bins must also be made available
for public purchase for $25. Sowerder-Garron will confirm that the City
can offer a coupon code and partner with a local hardware store. Keefe will
explore next steps for making this promotion available to residents.
2. Community meeting series for recycling
a. Mayor Cahill plans to host virtual community meetings to discuss the new
trash and recycling contract with JRM and discuss best recycling practices
tentatively scheduled for 9/30, 10/5, 10/7, 10/12, and 10/14. JRM's
participation is recommended.
b. Update 1014121: Due to the virtual format, these meetings are consolidated
into two repeating sessions on 10/14 and 10121.
3. Requirements for City events and permitted events
a. Permits for events on City property (including Parks permit, Police permit
for street closure, and Health permit for catering) should require recycling.
The City should consider incorporating questions about the applicant's
plans for waste reduction, including how to ensure that banned items make
it into recycling/composting, as well as suggestions for separating
recyclables.
b. Keefe will ask Bruce Doig the number of permits and permit holders, so as
to address those responsible for large/frequent events first.
c. The All Hauler ordinance is due to be revisited, and would be included as a
responsibility of the forthcoming compliance officer position. MassDEP
used to offer enforcement capacity through a grant; Sowerder-Garron will
check if it will be offered again. MassDEP only issues noncompliance after
a hauler is at a transfer station. MassDEP has a template All Hauler
Ordinance online. The Salem ordinance can serve as an example.
4. Resilient Together Solid Waste social media
a. Solid Waste will be the theme of the Resilient Together social media pages
in December.
5. City communications: water bill insert and RecycleSmart mailer
a. The final water bill insert highlighting composting options, the
Recyclopedia, textile recycling, and the Library of Things will be delivered
to Beverly property owners over the next three months.
6. Textile & other recycling
a. Book recycling is available at Beverly Public Schools through Discover
Books. Boston has More Than Words bins.
b. Textile bins were removed from Briscoe, and illegal dumping is reported
by Bay State Textiles at the High School. Keefe confirmed with the Police
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Department that existing cameras cannot capture license plates.
7. Other
a. The City submitted a proposal to a Tufts graduate program for a
Sustainable Business Award & Awareness Program, which would include
education, promotion, and pathways for restaurant owners to purchase
compostable containers.
b. Research is needed to understand anaerobic digester facility capacity for
future long-term curbside compost collection as well as strategies to
surpass 30-40% community participation. Some grocery stores use Agri-
Cycle for anaerobic digestion.
6. Other updates and discussion items by Committee members
1. The WRC is a 9-member committee with two vacancies. WRC members will draft
a position description for the openings, especially highlighting leadership and local
climate action opportunities, and can be combined with some public
communications about the compost drop-off site.
Adiourn at 8:16 pm
NEXT MEETING:
October 7, 2021 at 6:30 PM
Location: Beverly Public Library, Sohier Room
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