To the Editor:

After seeing the “BurmaShave” style signs on the way to the transfer station and knowing one of the 2013 Town Council’s goals was to increase recycling in Bedford, I decided to analyze my home’s waste stream in hopes of encouraging a stronger push to recycle among my fellow citizens.

Recycling saves taxpayer money. This is a fact.

It costs $20 to dispose of a ton of recycled material compared to $74 to haul it to a landfill. I’ll use two transfer station trips of mine as an illustration: (and, yes, I did get on a scale to arrive at these weights!)

Jan. 15: Pounds recycled = 85 Pounds as waste = 41

Feb. 28: Pounds recycled = 115 Pounds as waste = 42

Just removing the paper – which accounts for approximately 40 percent of the municipal waste stream – from your trash can save our town tax dollars. Next, include glass, metals and plastics, as you see how easy and effective our single stream system is. The town’s website has a list of allowable materials, and the DPW staff is always willing to answer questions.

The time to start is now.

KATHLEEN MCMILLAN

Bedford