Dover all set for recycling
— Photo by MARY MALONE Recycling service through Waste Management is now available to residents of Dover.
DOVER — After years of resident requests, Waste Management is finally on board with providing curbside recycling service in the Dover community.
In an email to the Daily Bee, Dover Mayor Annie Shaha said the subject of recycling has come up often at city meetings, and most recently at the annual property owners meeting. With recent growth and new residential construction popping up around the city, Dover is now eligible for the service.
"New residents are surprised recycling has not been available as it is the 'norm' and expected in most cities," Shaha said in the email.
Waste Management does not require a specific population but does require a minimum of 15 customers to start the service, Shaha said. Dover Bay alone met this requirement, allowing the service to be available to all residents of the city.
"Without Dover Bay's commitment to the minimum, it would not have happened so quickly," she said.
The cost of service is $13.44 per month for the blue 96-gallon recycle bin. There is no charge for extra recycling — it can be placed in a kraft bag, cardboard box or 32-gallon container and labeled "recycle." Recycling is picked up every other Friday and no sorting of recyclable items is necessary, but Waste Management does outline guidelines for what can go in the bins.
• Clean paper and cardboard: Flattened cardboard, office paper, catalogs, newspapers, magazines, phone books, paperback books, mail with window envelopes are OK, paper bags and food boxes.
• Clean glass bottles and jars: All colors and sizes; no caps or lids, but labels are OK.
• Clean metal and foil: Aluminum food and beverage containers, tin and steel cans, scrap metal, empty and non-hazardous aerosol cans and small metal appliances that are no larger than 20 inches square and no more than 20 pounds. Waste Management asks that all cans and containers are rinsed and no coat hangers. Again, labels are OK.
• Clean plastic containers: Plastic bottles, jars, jugs, and tubs with recycling symbols numbered 1 through 7.
Some items Waste Management asks residents not to put in the recycle bin include garbage, plastic bags, styrofoam, food-soiled items, microwave trays, ceramics and dishes, light bulbs, window glass and mirrors, hazardous waste containers, syringes, plastic with no recycling symbols, lids, batteries, electronics, sharp metal and coated or laminated paper products.