SALEM, N.H. (WHDH) - Town leaders in Salem, New Hampshire are considering moving forward with plans to eliminate their recycling program in an effort to control costs.
The proposal is part of the Town’s larger budget review, as officials look for ways to save money. Salem Town Manager Joe Devine said cutting the recycling program would save $65,000.
“I think there’s a lot of questions about the recycling, about people properly recycling,” Devine said. “I think it is a big piece of it, and a lot of it has to do with the costs. It’s more expensive to recycle than it is just to throw trash away.”
Devine said the Town is still calculating exact costs, and the issue was brought up at a budget meeting Wednesday.
“People recycle cardboard, or they recycle bottles that they think are being recycled and they may not be. If a pizza box has pizza on it or grease, it’s not. They are throwing it into that and it’s costing us more to dispose of,” he said.
If the program is eliminated and residents still want to recycle, they would have to rely on private companies to pick up their items. People who live in the town had mixed reviews on the proposal.
“I feel fine, it helps the economy,” one resident said.
“I think it’s stupid,” said Harry Rodrigues, who lives in Salem. “If it was me, it would just stay how it is. When something is working, you leave it working. Don’t just add on for no reason at all.”
The budget is not final yet, and residents will have a chance to voice their opinions at a meeting in January.
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