Weekly recycling pickup

Starting in January, the town’s curbside collection of recyclables will change from every other week to once a week. At that time, the town also plans to begin strict enforcement of its mandatory recycling rule. Town Manager Wayne P. Marquis said the two measures are part of an effort to increase the community’s recycling rate, which would serve to lower its trash disposal costs. “About 70 percent of our people do recycle, but we are trying to get that even higher and increase the tonnage,” he said. Danvers pays $67 per ton to dispose of its trash at Covanta Haverhill Inc.’s trash-to-energy plant. Marquis said if the town is able to increase its annual tonnage of recycled waste by 25 percent, it could yield as much as $100,000 in annual savings. The town’s trash hauler, JRM Hauling & Recycling, agreed to shift to the weekly pick-up schedule for recyclables at no extra cost as part of a contract renewal the town recently negotiated. - John Laidler