Furthering the goal of ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’: Deerfield Transfer Station adds swap shed
Published: 07-18-2024 4:23 PM |
DEERFIELD — The old saying goes that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, but what if there was no need to throw the item out in the first place?
Beginning this past weekend, Deerfield residents using the Transfer Station now have a new outlet for getting rid of their items in the form of a swap shed, which allows folks to bring small appliances, home decor, dishware and other similar items in an effort to reuse those items rather than throw them out.
“A lot of people know the old saying ‘reduce, reuse, recycle,” said Franklin County Solid Waste Management District Program Director Amy Donovan. “We’ve got the recycle part down, we’re learning how to reduce. I think we can do more about reuse and we are doing a good job with all those different reuse outlets, but we can do more.”
The goal is simple: keep items out of the landfill, while also allowing residents to make use of a previously unwanted object. Donovan said this is the 11th swap shed within the Franklin County Solid Waste Management District — which has 21 member towns and 17 transfer stations. Other iterations, such as Conway’s, which is nicknamed “the Conway Mall,” have been hugely successful in the past, according to Donovan.
“The other towns have had great luck with their swap sheds,” she said.
While the objective and premise of Deerfield’s swap shed remains the same, there are a few additional regulations due to the size of the town compared to its counterparts in the district.
The biggest difference is that Deerfield’s shed will be staffed by trained volunteers and, at least to start, will only be open on Saturday mornings from 9 to 11 a.m. These Saturday hours are extended to be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. between April and October.
While other sheds may allow items to be dropped off at all hours, Donovan said the Deerfield shed will only accept items when team members are working. Team members have the final say on what items are accepted.
Article continues after...
Yesterday's Most Read Articles
“The other towns that have swap sheds in Franklin County are really small towns,” Donovan noted. “We wanted to avoid any issues that could arise with a larger population.”
All items must be clean and in working condition. Examples of acceptable items include small appliances, artwork, home decor, household items, office supplies, small hand and power tools, and other similar items. Larger appliances, clothing, car seats, furniture, large safety items and computers, among other items, will not be accepted.
To use the swap shed, residents must have a Deerfield Transfer Station sticker. The full list of regulations and more information can be found on the town website at bit.ly/4bEQo5K.
“We’re just getting started with it,” she said. “It’s not anything glamorous, it’s not a big shed, but it’s a good way to keep items in circulation.”
Chris Larabee can be reached at clarabee@recorder.com.