Pictures
of Regional "Good Riddance Days"
NOTE:
Town of Weston had been conducting "Good Riddance Day" since @1984 -
first independently, then out-of-town with Ridgefield; we tried working
with Westport; worked welll with Wilton (but we just got too big to
partner at this point, so...); we did it on our own for several years
at the Weston High School parking lot and then, for the 21st Century,
we joined the Regional program...
"Good Riddance Day 2005"
Regional Household Hazardous Waste Collection
It rained.
This did not stop Westonites from coming out to safely dispose of
household
hazardous wastes...at 11am, 180 cars est. had come - more
expected!!!
Final totals to be obtained from the Town of Weston later this
week.
There was an approx. 30 car back up before it started at 8:30am, and 15
cars came immediately upon the opening...steady stream until
11am.
From experience, we know that there will be a last minutes rush, so
this
may be a record EVEN with the rain!!!
"Good
Riddance Day 2004" Regional Household
Hazardous Waste Collection
Town
Full Half Total
Cars
Westport
23
4
27
New
Canaan
3
1
4
Wilton
7
1
8
Norwalk
7
2
9
Stamford
1
0
1
Fairfield
1
0
1
Greenwich
1
0
1
Weston
160 59 219
Total
203 67 270
"Good
Riddance Day 2003"
This year it rained on the Household
Hazardous Waste Collection Day parade. Amidst the rain drops and
busy activity of a typical Weston Spring Saturday, a most professional
regional hazardous waste day carried on, supervised by most personable
Weston DPW guys. Did the weather stop Westonites from doing their
civic duty? No! As reported by Clean Harbors' (out of
Bristol,
CT) manager Simon Szmigiel, they were overwhelmed! Next year he
plans
to bring more staff, have two (2) bays of two places each for drop offs
(instead of one). They underestimated Weston! Coming to
"Good
Riddance Day" Saturday, April 26, 2003, were 223 cars (95% from Weston)
and equivalent 600 households-worth of "stuff" (usual HHW Day estimate
would be closer to 400--but we came LOADED). In fact, although
the
average wait was 15 minutes, when the League Observer dropped by
(10:30am
and 12:30pm) the lines were longer than that.
No
special poisons showed up this
year, but one Westporter came with his whole street's collection
pieces.
First Selectman Woody Bliss, it is reported by DPW staff on hand, gave
this truckload of material the green light on Green-Up Day. "We
want
to get this material into the safe disposal cycle as quick as we can"
Woody
said. "We don't want it ending up on the side of the road,
ultimately
leaching into the groundwater."
"Good
Riddance Day 2002"
It was beautiful and sunny, if cool,
for 2002 Good Riddance Day in Weston. We surprised the Regional
Hazardous
Waste crew by showing up in force--236 (very few people from out of
town--some
from Westport, New Canaan and Wilton). Helen Speck, George
Guidera,
Hal Shupack and current First Selectman Woody Bliss showed up with some
"product"--they all came @10:30, after the big early rush. Al,
from
DPW, told the League that the lines went almost to Old Hyde Road in the
beginning, and they opened up fifteen minutes early as a result (to
accommodate
"customers").
HISTORY...
2001 First Household Hazardous
Waste Collection Regionalized...Weston Coordinates GREEN UP DAY with
the
regional collection...
April 28,
2001 (a) shows the first use of DPW
Garage
site--waiting for its first regional collection;
April 27, 2002 (b) was also a
regional
"good riddance day" in Weston (at the Department of Public Works
Garage,
too). NOTE: In original photo for this image, B. Altman box
and Nikon camera equipment box identifiable..."Good Riddance Day 2003"
was wet: It never stopped raining, but the turnout April
26, 2003 (c)overwhelmed the
professionals!
NOTE: barely two cars could fit on the plastic sheeting,
and
the number of personnel from Clean Harbors seemed lower than in past
years...explaining
long waits? Please note that Clean Harbors recognizes that they
were
not prepared for the volume of materials received.
April 24, 2004 (d) CLEAN HARBORS
SHOWED
IT HAD LEARNED - AND HAD FLEXIBLE LINES (i.e. 4 bays with environmental
cover and extra horizontal storage) early on when they were getting a
car
per minute! Great job!