The Kingston Recycling Committee convened on January 13, 2026, to navigate a series of operational updates and future sustainability initiatives. A significant shift in battery disposal protocols led the discussion, as Superintendent of Streets, Trees, and Park Sean Turner noted, I've looked into those batteries and the light bulbs, and per our vendor and Recycle Smart, alkaline batteries... can go in the trash, though the committee later clarified that their current vendor, Complete Recycling, can now process them. MassDEP representative Todd Keep explained the facility's advanced sorting technology, stating, They actually have a big sorting table... they separate it out. So lithium goes into one pile, alkaline in another, lithium ion goes in another, and then all of those get dispersed to the right place. Chair Jean Pike emphasized the need for clear communication during this transition, remarking, I guess what I would have to do is update signage and just get the residents trained now to start putting the alkaline batteries in with the rest of the batteries.

Operational challenges at the transfer station were also addressed following a powerful wind event that damaged the organic collection bin corral. Sean Turner reported that the wind pulled these two or three foot anchors out of the ground, leading to plans for permanent cement footers this spring. The committee also debated the nuances of cardboard recycling to minimize resident frustration. Keep advised the group to avoid getting too much in the weeds with complex rules, clarifying, If it's a pizza box, an Amazon box, a Target box, a corrugated cardboard box, which is two pieces of fiber with a little thing in the middle... that's cardboard that goes in the cardboard bin. He further noted that frozen food boxes, which often have plastic coatings, should remain in the trash.

The long-awaited Swap Shop is nearing its seasonal debut, with Jean Landis Snowman providing a status report on physical security and accessibility. I installed the combination dual lock and I didn't engage it till everyone has it, she said, adding that she has secured materials to repair the entrance ramp once the weather warms. Volunteer management remains a priority for the reopening, though Vanessa Verade expressed some hesitation regarding administrative hurdles. I just really kind of want to confirm that that's really still the rule that we have to have them fill out all those pieces of paper under the new administration, she noted, referring to the CORI checks and application forms required for shop volunteers. The committee intends to hold a volunteer orientation in March.

Looking toward future incentives, the committee discussed purchasing 1,000 countertop compost bins to distribute to 2026 trash sticker buyers. This initiative aligns with a broader push to reduce the town's tipping fees by diverting organic waste. David O'Connell suggested that the town's recycling successes should be framed in financial terms for the public to encourage participation. You should translate that into what it would cost us to pay to get rid of trash, he suggested, noting that the textile recycling program alone saved or earned the town over $5,000 last year. The committee also began preliminary discussions on a Styrofoam and black plastic ban for local restaurants, seeking to model a proposal after recent regulations passed in Plymouth.