New recycling method in Nahant helps ease worries

NAHANT-Some environmentally conscious residents have expressed concern their recyclables are being thrown into trash destined for a landfill instead of being recycled, but they can rest assured that is not the case.Northside Carting, which is based in North Andover, collects the trash and recyclables in town. The company is using a new method of collection called single stream recycling. The process, which is approved by the Department of Environmental protection, allows recyclable items to be collected in a regular garbage truck then transported to a processing facility.Northside Carting President Robby George said single stream recycling is a relatively new concept that is taking off.?The key to increasing recycling is to make it as easy as possible residents to recycle. This makes it very easy. Residents just dump all their recyclable materials including newspaper into one bin. You can’t make it any easier than that.”Department of Public Works Director Robert Ward explained instead of sorting items at the curb, the recyclables are sorted at the processing facility.Ward said single stream recycling is relatively new in this area but it has been very successful elsewhere.?This same process is used in Virginia,” he said. “And they have one of the most successful recycling programs in the country. I think it’s the wave of the future.”