The Select Board voted on January 21 to change the name of the Brewster Recycling Commission to the 鈥淲aste Reduction and Recycling Commission鈥� and to update their charge to better reflect the diverse work the Commission carries out. The change highlights the Commission鈥檚 record of working to reduce Brewster鈥檚 volume of solid waste and is aligned with the Local Comprehensive Plan.
Chair Meg Morris explained that the Commission, as an advisory board to the Select Board, works on initiatives designed to reduce the Town鈥檚 volume of solid waste as well as to optimize recycling efforts. Because the Town pays for solid waste disposal by the ton, the Commission鈥檚 efforts are aimed to protect the environment and save Brewster residents money.
Recycling continues to be a valuable strategy in municipal waste management, but Chair Morris explained that it鈥檚 the final strategy in a list of other actions that can be used by residents to cut the amount of waste they produce. These include reducing the purchase of single use items, using refillable containers, reusing and repurposing items, repairing rather than discarding, and composting organics.
The Recycling Commission was established in 1989 and has carried out numerous projects, including launching the Pay-As-You-Throw program that has significantly cut the Town鈥檚 solid waste, increased recycling, and saved taxpayer鈥檚 money. The Commission has worked to reduce solid waste through various initiatives including banning nip bottles and commercial use of plastic bags, supporting organics composting at Brewster鈥檚 and Nauset regional schools, hosting 鈥淔ix-It Clinics鈥� and supporting Swap Shop operations to keep items out of the waste stream, and providing community education. The Commission co-sponsored the 鈥淒rink Brewster Tap鈥� education campaign and the installation of water bottle filling stations throughout Brewster to encourage the use of reusable water bottles rather than single use plastic ones.