Connecticut’s Housatonic Recources Recovery Authority Building Effective Community Programs

SEATTLE (Waste Advantage): The Housatonic Resources Recovery Authority, also known as HRRA, is the regional municipal solid waste (MSW) and recycling management organization for the Housatonic Valley municipalities of Bethel, Bridgewater, Brookfield, Danbury, Kent, New Fairfield, New Milford, Newtown, Redding, Ridgefield, Roxbury, Sherman, Weston, and Wilton. The Authority is made up of one representative and one alternate from each municipality for a total of 28 members. Established in 1986, the Housatonic Resources Recovery Authority (HRRA) (Brookfield, CT) was created at a time when most municipal landfills in the region were nearing capacity, and the Connecticut State Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) was not approving permits for new landfills or landfill expansion and instead moved to 100 percent waste-to-energy. The state created waste sheds and issued grants to municipalities to create regional solid waste and recycling authorities.

The HRRA took on added responsibility for regional recycling when the State Mandatory Recycling Act took effect on January 1, 1991. All HRRA municipalities participate in the HRRA recycling program. With a $2,000,000 grant from the State DEEP, the HRRA purchased recycling sorting equipment and machinery, and entered into a contract with the private transfer station in Danbury, to construct and operate a facility for recyclables collected throughout the region. As required by state law, recyclables from the HRRA communities are separated from MSW by the consumer or generator and picked up at curbside, from recycling containers, or from local drop off or recycling centers by private haulers for delivery to the Danbury Transfer Station. At the transfer station, recyclables are separated from any non-recyclable contaminants. All materials, except for glass, are baled and shipped to various markets to be recycled into renewable packaging products. Glass is separated at HRRA transfer stations and is sent directly to recyclers. In addition, since 1992, HRRA has worked to assist member municipalities to organize Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) collection events for residents. There are currently six events offered each year.

Serving 14 municipalities in western Connecticut between two counties and a population of more than 263,000 people, HRRA employs two full time staff, an Executive Director and Administrator, and one part-time public education coordinator. HRRA facilitates a monthly regional recycling task force where training is provided to local recycling coordinators to assist HRRA with enhanced public education and outreach. HRRA’s public education coordinator’s job is to visit schools throughout the 14 member municipalities and teach waste reduction and recycling, and conduct school waste audits. The HRRA provides regular “trash talks” and composting 101 classes to the public throughout the year.

The HRRA also facilitates an annual Recycling Billboard Contest to promote recycling in schools’ grades K – 12. 2024 marks the 17th anniversary where more than 2,000 students enter to win their artwork on the back of 20 buses for two months. This year’s theme is “‘Keep it loose’ don’t bag or bundle your recycling!” Students are asked to create a billboard ad to encourage residents to keep their recycling loose in their recycling bins. In years past, the theme has been about separating food scraps, recycling right, to recycle your glass separately to promote the regions glass program. For added educational tools besides the extensive comprehensive website, the HRRA promotes the Recycle CT Wizard App that can be downloaded from Apple or Google. The wizard is a search tool for residents to know at their fingertips what is in or what is out for recycling items in their bin. The authority also provides printable recycling guides that promote Connecticut’s universal recycling guide.

Courtesy: www.wasteadvantage.com