Recycle This, Trash That, is a community outreach program for the Town of West Hartford funded by Covanta Industries, the town’s trash-to-energy facility.

The EnviroCycle Recycling Center in West Hartford is open 3 days per week for residential drop-off. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

By Ronni Newton

As the snow melts, yards reappear throughout West Hartford.

It’s not always a pretty sight.

Remember (of course you don’t!) the branches that were blown down in early December, the ones you figured you’d pick up when you were done with your holiday shopping, or after New Year’s, or whenever you got around to it? They’ve reappeared.

There are the dead plants you never got around to pulling out. And the bushes that really need a good pruning to get rid of the damage caused by being buried under 2 or 3 feet of snow for a few months.

This material is all yard waste, and should be disposed of properly – which does not mean in your trash barrel.

West Hartford will be holding curbside collection weeks (the first is the week of April 27 – more to come on that), but in the meantime, here’s what you can do with it!

Drop Off at the Yard Waste/Recycling Center

There are new hours this year for the EnviroCycle Recycling Center at 25 Brixton St. this year. The residential gate, which reopens to the public on April 1, will be open 3 days per week.

“We’ve identified peak volume days as Monday, Friday, and Saturday, and the volume of material dropped off in between just doesn’t justify keeping it open,” Environmental Services Manager Dave Gabriele said.

The center will be open on Mondays and Fridays from 7:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. Saturday hours are 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. during the months of April and May, 8 a.m. through noon from June through the middle of September, and 8 a.m. through 4 p.m. from mid-October through mid-December.

A permit is required, and must be purchased on an annual basis. Full use permits are for property owners only, but renters can be issued limited use permits if they meet the criteria listed on the town website. The permit sticker must be affixed to the windshield on the driver’s side of the vehicle.

Fees are the same as last year, and permits may be purchased online using a credit or debit card but must be picked up at the Public Works office at 17 Brixton St. during regular business hours. Permits purchased directly from the Public Works office must be paid for by cash or check.

Click here for more information about fees and purchasing permits on the Town of West Hartford website under Public Works.

Changes are coming in the future, which should make the process easier while still ensuring that only West Hartford residents are permitted to use the yard waste and recycling facility.

Public Works will begin staffing the EnviroCycle Recycling Center beginning July 1, so permits can be picked up there on Saturdays. EnviroCycle’s contract to operate the facility expires on Aug. 31, so more changes may also follow.

The list of acceptable material is fairly extensive, and includes yard waste that is eligible for curbside pick-up (small pieces of brush, leaves, thatch, and dead plant matter) as well as rocks, dirt, and concrete.

Leaves can be delivered in bulk, or in 30-gallon biodegradable paper bags. No plastic bags will be accepted.

Brush cannot be more than 6 inches in diameter and must be broken down to no more than 4 feet in length.

Grass clippings and any ceramic-based materials (flower pots, tile, toilets, sinks, etc.) are not acceptable.

Other materials that can be accepted at the recycling center (although not in the clean fill area) include household recyclables (like cardboard, paper, plastics with code nos. 1-7, and metal and glass containers), used motor oil and anti-freeze (in non-returnable containers), and automotive batteries.

Questions? Email them to Kim Holden at [email protected].

Recycle This, Trash That, is a community outreach program for the Town of West Hartford funded by Covanta Industries, the town’s trash-to-energy facility. Ronni Newton is contracted as the recycling campaign editor for the Public Works Department in the Town of West Hartford.