221103_Approved Minutes (BWRC) CITY OF BEVERLY
WASTE REDUCTION COMMITTEE
Meeting Minutes
Thursday, November 3, 2022 at 6:30 PM
Beverly Public Library, Sohier Room, 32 Essex Street
Call to order: 6:34 p.m.
Committee members present: Sandy Burgess, Bonnie Dean, Amy Henderson, Joyce Herman,
John Swain, Lisa Willwerth, Susan Higgins (Chair)
Committee members absent: Nancy Dillon
Invited participants and guests: Erina Keefe, Councilor Estelle Rand
Review minutes for October 6, 2022 meeting—VOTE to approve
Will review in December meeting.
Pumpkin Smash coordination (Amy Henderson)
a. Overview of final event details: Last year, approximately 300-400 people attended. This
year, Green Beverly interns from Endicott College worked with Red Wagon Construction to
build a trebuchet, pumpkin guillotine, and 2 spike boards. BWRC role is both education and
help with the waste station (composting/recycling/trash). Henderson connected with all vendors,
and not all containers are compostable—Higgins suggested recommending a few small changes
(large condiment containers set on a table instead of packets, etc.)that are achievable in the
short-term. Committee members will approach food vendors before the event begins to request
examples of containers to help guide sorting. Higgins will bring several clear streams— can use
for trash/recycling. Black Earth is bringing two small toters, Higgins will bring her toters, and
Black Earth agreed to remove composting after the event.
b. Review WRC role and volunteer schedule: There are three time slots: set-up/beginning,
middle, and last hour/clean-up. All slots are filled except one clean-up, and a Green Beverly
student volunteer will help with waste sorting to help share that knowledge.
c. Signage and educational materials: There are 3 posters, with QR codes that link to the
city website, site to register for free composting, and city compost drop-off feedback website.
There are double-sided handouts from last year with a QR code, and Keefe will provide 20-30
copies of the water bill insert. Henderson confirmed posters were slightly over $100 with tax,
and stands were $330. Higgins shared the table runner from Dillon, and Keefe offered to help
with a high-resolution copy of the City seal for future branded materials. Members discussed
surveying the crowd for information about composting behaviors/barriers and providing raffle
item(s)to incentivize participation. Keefe will investigate a loaner iPad if there are data
connections on-site, or a volunteer can circulate through the crowd with a QR code for people
waiting in lines to smash pumpkins to fill out the survey on their phones. Members suggested
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signs alerting people to the waste station as well. Members discussed incentive options (Black
Earth, Unpacked Living, other local sustainable options) and landed on Black Earth to
complement the composting focus on the event. Black Earth is also offering 10% discount for
new registrations from the event, and continuing for a week after.
Swain moved to hold the survey and offer a $100 gift card to Black Earth for the
randomly drawn winner from survey participants; Willwerth seconded. The motion carried
(6-0). Burgess moved to also offer a second $50 gift card to Black Earth for a second randomly
drawn winner from survey participants; Henderson seconded. The motion carried (6-0).
d. Checklist of final preparation and items to bring: Higgins will bring a pop-up tent,
folding table, black tablecloth, BWRC runner, clear streams, clear stream bags, box of gloves,
folding chairs, 2 compost toters, and BWRC t-shirts and aprons. Keefe will provide 20-30 water
bill inserts to Willwerth for the event, and all members should bring any BWRC t-shirts/aprons
from home. Higgins will connect with Dillon about maybe looking into a different vendor for
the mesh banner.
City updates (Erina Keefe)
a. Councilor Rand shared that she looks forward to putting forward policy and initiatives
BWRC has hoped to take in the coming year. Higgins appreciated Councilor Rand's support
throughout and since her tenure on the BWRC. Higgins recognized and appreciated Keefe's
contributions in the City and how much she has helped the BWRC as well.
b. The City has a draft policy for private haulers, and received comments from the Mass
DEP Boston office to answer some questions. The next step is to conduct a baseline assessment
of what people pay haulers, space capacity, frequency of pickups, how full dumpsters are, etc.
Green Beverly is working on helping to purchase compostable containers to help restaurants
transition towards using compostable materials, and have done some surveying through that
process. Councilor Rand compared the process to the similar analysis done for the plastic bag
ban. Higgins pointed one difference, that state law already requires businesses to recycle and an
ordinance would allow enforcement at the local level rather than letting the state decide whether
to enforce its law. Keefe recognized another wrinkle, and waiting for information from Republic
about what happens to crushed glass and some plastic materials once its sold to brokers. So, it is
still premature to propose the draft policy at this time.
c. The state mattress ban went into effect November Pt, and Republic will not continue to
collect them. The City is finalizing a contract with a vendor, and Keefe anticipates it will cost
approximately $50 per unit for residents to schedule curbside pickup and for a driver to collect
and transport it to the recycling facility. It may cost only $33 per unit if residents choose to bring
it to the facility and waive the transportation. Keefe also highlighted that there are other options
—when new mattresses are delivered, you can often request pickup of your old mattress, etc.
d. Gerry Rathe's last day will be November 10'. They have a good process in place for that
position, once they find someone who will be a good fit and the position should post soon.
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e. Single Stream Recycling is going out with a soft announcement, and about half the City
has received the insert with their water/sewer bills. The School Committee members announced
it in some subgroups, and the City will issue a press release with targeted social media content in
conjunction with the mattress recycling announcement.
f. The City is hiring a Sustainability and Resiliency Project Manager, full-time position who
will report to Keefe competing with a lot of recent postings in the region (Boston—7 posts,
Somerville, MAPC, etc.) and appreciates any help recommending candidates and sharing the
position with networks. Rand echoed support for Keefe and her growing department, and
clarified that her dissenting vote in a City Council meeting reflected wanting more support for
Keefe and integration between all city departments.
g. Higgins flagged the annual household hazardous waste event as something that retiring
Health Director Bill Burke has historically organized and planned well. With his retirement in
January, and the collection event usually occurring in April, she noted that it involves
coordination between the police and fire department details, mosquito control, clean harbor,
vendors to collect propane tanks and scrap metal, and more. It requires a lot of money changing
hands and city oversight to be successful.
Old business and miscellaneous items, as needed
At the October meeting, Republic offered a GreenWorks tour, and Higgins received
possible times to tour Thursday, November 17th at 2pm or Friday, November 18th at loam.
Higgins asked people to share availability, and most members were available Friday morning.
Higgins estimated the tour would last 45 to 60 minutes depending on the participation level.
Higgins shared that Karen Milo and Councilor Rotondo were interested in attending as well, and
she plans to extend an invitation to the full Council, Gayle Bernard, and Green Beverly (2 reps).
Upcoming events
a. Pumpkin Smash, November 6, 2022 1-4 PM at New Entry Farm (733 Cabot Street)
b. MassDEP Third Annual Reduce, Reuse, Recycle-Palooza (3 rd year in a row)
https:Hrecyclesmartma.or�z/2022/10/reduce-reuse-recycle-palooza-newsletter/
i. November 15: Ask Me Anything About Recycling in MA(7-8 PM): America
Recycles Day —DEP staff with a high-level recycling overview
ii. November 16: The Reuse Showcase (7-8 PM): highlights opportunities to put
items to reuse, including The Great Exchange in Devens, MA.
iii. November 17: Hidden in Plain Sight—Exploring Mattress and Textile Reuse and
Recycling (7-8 PM): high-level overview of the bans
Other updates and discussion items by Committee members
a. December meeting agenda: Henderson suggested to keep the December meeting simple
and social, covering little official business (2 sets of minutes, Pumpkin Smash recap, quick recap
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for 2022) and then have a cookie swap +/or refreshments with time to chat. Members agreed, so
it will be in the Sohier Room with a very light agenda.
b. Higgins plans to invite Gretchen Carey from Republic Services to attend the January
meeting, hopefully with Caitlin Smith as well, to answer specific questions about recycling,
recycling markets, etc.
Adjourn: Swain moved to adjourn; Willwerth seconded. The motion carried (7-0) at 8:06 p.m.
NEXT MEETING:
December 1, 2022 at 6:30 PM
Location: Beverly Public Library, Sohier Room
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