Andover Transfer Station

Nick Ho
APES E Block
02/07/16
Field Trip to Andover Transfer Station (with APES E Block)

Logan standing next to the compactor
(Photo Credits: Nick Ho)

Our APES block took a trip to Andover Transfer Station this weekend where we learned about the role a transfer station plays and where the waste that we generate ends up. Transfer stations sort out and organize waste in order to figure out the next destination for each piece of trash. They play a few critical roles in the process of waste management: recovering discarded materials, finding ways to recycle them, and disposing of waste safely and effectively. Alan asked each of us to bring along a piece of trash to the Transfer Station. I brought an empty gum packet, which was non recyclable. When we arrived, I tossed it into a garbage compactor, along with several other pieces of non recyclable trash.

Debbie explaining the organizational process
(Photo Credits: Nick Ho)

We then went inside where the recyclables and recoverable items were organized. There we met Debbie, who has been working at the Transfer Station for over five years now. She explained that there was a unique system in charging people who brought their trash to the Transfer Station. For example, compact fluorescent bulbs cost 50 cents each to recycle, while air conditioners and refrigerators are $10. The Transfer Station also takes much bigger items, like trucks (which cost as much as $225 if full). Debbie provided us with a fairly comprehensive guide to what can be recycled and what must be incinerated. Things like cardboard boxes, various paper based products, plastic containers #1-7 are examples of recyclables, while food stuffs and foam packaging are non recyclable and must be taken to the compactor. Debbie also explained how frustrating it was when people brought items like fluorescent lamps, because it meant she would have to disassemble them to figure out which components were reusable and which were not.

Some of the recyclable items at the station
(Photo Credits: Nick Ho)

All the waste products need to end up somewhere. The journey of each piece of garbage is unique. For example, paints are brought to Franklin and Bristol twice a year, appliances are sent off to Concord, and electronics are shipped off to Rochester.

More recyclable and renewable items
(Photo Credits: Nick Ho)

After meeting Debbie, we went outside again and saw where items like tires and various metal scraps were compiled. Tires, which cost $2 each to bring to the Transfer Station, can't be incinerated with all the other non-recyclables because they contain lead, which is poisonous and would be released into the air if it was burnt. That being said, tires are not useless after serving their primary function. They can be reused as playground material, building material, erosion control, and fuel. There are also special plants where tires can be taken to be incinerated. 

Truck where all the tires were compiled
(Photo Credits: Nick Ho)

Our trip to the Transfer Station was enlightening and educational. I learned that there is more to the waste management process than simply having two big piles for recyclables and non recyclables. It was also a bit jarring to see the sheer amount of waste produced by a small town like Andover, whose citizens are already more environmentally conscious than many other places. Only six hundred to seven hundred people are bringing their waste to the station per week. What does this mean for the waste production of big cities like Hong Kong with populations of over seven million? The visit made me realize that humans need to minimize the amount of material in the waste stream, the easiest way being source reduction: limiting the amount we produce and create. The visit also left me with some questions about the Transfer Station. For example, is the incineration process waste-to-energy (meaning that the heat produced through incineration is then harnessed as energy)? Is the entire process profitable, or does the station only charge what's necessary to keep the station running? I hope to learn more about transfer stations in the near future.