FALMOUTH — There are two new recycling programs at the town transfer station, for paint and food waste.

The Woods Road station is now a drop-off facility where residents can deposit unused paint and paint products.

According to the town’s website, there are several acceptable and unacceptable products. The product must be in its original container; the container must be correctly labeled for the product it contains; the container must be in good condition and not leaking, and the container cannot be larger than 5 gallons. Empty containers or ones without lids will not be accepted.

Acceptable products include interior and exterior paints; deck coatings and floor paints; primers, sealers and undercoats; stains; shellacs, lacquers, varnishes and urethanes; waterproofing concrete/masonry/wood sealers and repellents; metal coatings and rust preventatives, and field and lawn paints.

Unacceptable products include paint thinner, mineral spirits and solvents; aerosol paints; auto and marine paints; craft paint; caulking compounds, epoxies, glues and adhesives; paint additives, colorants, tints and resins; wood preservatives containing pesticides; roof patch and repair; asphalt, tar and bitumen-based products; two-component coatings; deck cleaners; traffic and road marking paint; industrial maintenance coatings, and original equipment manufacturer paints and finishes.

Public Works Director Jay Reynolds said the paint recycling program began in 2013, when the state adopted legislation requiring paint manufacturers to implement a post-consumer management program.

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“We’re trying to get as much paint out of people’s basements and garages,” Reynolds said, and this service provides a way to bring the used paint products.

Residents now can also compost their food scraps at the transfer station free of charge during a pilot program that will last three months “to see if there is high interest,” Reynolds said.

Compostable material should be brought in a separate bucket or container, and deposited in designated totes. Acceptable materials include fruits and vegetables; rice and pasta; eggshells; paper napkins and cups; coffee grounds and filters, and bread and baked goods.

Trash and recycling items such as plastics, metal, Styrofoam, aluminum foil, hygienic products and leather are not compostable.

The food waste will be collected by the Portland-based composting company We Compost It!. Participants will receive free compost at the transfer station.

Reynolds said the town is always looking for ways to increase its recycling rates, and recycling food products counts towards that goal. He said the School Department already participates in a composting program.

The transfer station is open Tuesday and Thursday from noon-4 p.m.; Friday, 7 a.m.-5 p.m., and Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. It is closed Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays.

Colin Ellis can be reached at 781-3661 ext. 123 or cellis@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @colinoellis.

The Falmouth transfer station launched two new recycling options this week, one for paint product recovery and the other for composting food scraps.


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