Swampscott near tops in statewide recycling effort

SWAMPSCOTT – When it comes to the percentage of trash that is recycled statewide, Swampscott is near the top of the list.The state Department of Environmental Protection calculates the percentage of trash being recycled by weight and in 2006, Swampscott residents threw away 6,200 tons of trash and 48 percent of that amount was recycled. The state average was 30 percent.Swampscott Town Administrator Andrew Maylor said the town has been making a concerted effort to recycle with the Board of Health leading the way.Health Agent Jeff Vaughn applauded the efforts residents are making to recycle.”It’s fairly impressive because we currently don’t have mandatory recycling in town,” he said. “But there’s always room for improvement. In the next couple of years I’d like to see that get into the high 50’s (percentage) in terms of what we recycle.”Vaughn encouraged residents to recycle all the paper they can because the town is paid for the paper it recycles.”We’re getting really good returns on paper and it saves the town money,” he said. “It is also good for the environment. It reduces the waste going into landfills.”Vaughn said the numbers for the 2007 calendar year are not available yet, but he expects the recycling rates have improved.There were only 24 communities in the state that recycled a higher percent of waste than Swampscott in 2006. On the North Shore, Marblehead topped the list at 51 percent and Revere, which was one of only eight communities in the state with a recycling percentage of eight or less, brought up the rear with a mere 8 percent.Vaughn said any resident, who needs a recycling bin, could pick one up at The Board of Health Office in Town Hall and he encouraged anyone with recycling questions to call his office at 781-596-8864.