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Trash Handling vs Recyclables

Trash

  • There is no “dump site” or municipally contracted trash removal in Harwinton.
  • Each household pays a hauler of their choice to pick up trash and recyclables from curbside. (There are currently 2 permitted haulers in Harwinton. Call me for names: Terri Christenson, Recycling Coordinator 860-485-2784)
  • The hauler transports this waste to the Materials Inovation and REcycling Authority (MIRA) transfer station in Torrington. It is then transported to its Hartford facility where the garbage is properly disposed and/or burned in their trash-to-energy facility (www.mira.org).
  • Harwinton is charged a per-ton “tip fee” for garbage disposal, $83.00 for 2019-2020 fiscal year.
  • Residents pay 2 separate fees for trash removal: hauler services and “tip fee.” You pay the permitted hauler of your choice for the pick up charge.  This pays to transport your refuse to a MIRA facility.  The second charge is the "tip fee".  This charge is per ton and set by MIRA.  The tip fee pays to actually process, and/or store refuse or ash from the trash to energy plant. The energy sold by the trash to energy plant helps to subsidize our tip fees.

Recyclables

  • The recyclables are sorted and processed for sale.
  • There is no fee charged at this time for transporting and processing recyclables.

These include: newspaper, catalogs, magazines, glossy paper, office paper, junk mail, brown paper bags, corrugated cardboard, glass and aluminum beverage containers, aluminum foil and foil containers, #1 – #7 plastic containers, milk and juice cartons, gray boxboard (for eg., cereal , pasta, tissue, and gift boxes). In addition, large plastic containers (tubs, pails, etc) and plastic toys are accepted. Remove non-plastic parts and the items must be made to fit inside the recycling can.

Did you know: your pillow might be made with recycled PET bottles? So might your sleeping bag, carpet, and fleece jacket.