By Josh Davis, Associate Editor

(Feb. 14, 2019) The Town of Berlin last November changed its recycling program, from a traditional collection facility on William Street to a simplified “single-stream” system on Old Ocean City Boulevard, and early results have been positive.

Public Works Superintendent Dave Wheaton last year suggested the change to single stream, which refers to recycling collections from a single container, rather than separate containers for paper, plastic, metals, and other materials.

At a Town Council meeting last October, Wheaton said the old collection center was a mess and it was not uncommon for town workers to spend an entire day sorting through and cleaning up materials.

The council, at his suggestion, approved a $2,773.33 contract with Republic Services and moved the town recycling center to the former Rayne’s Sand & Gravel building on Old Ocean City Boulevard, now technically part of Berlin Falls park.

Wheaton, during a meeting Monday night, said the changeover is going well.

“We have had a couple times where people threw items in there that didn’t belong, but it’s just saved us so much time by doing it this way … it saves a lot of time and money,” he said.

Along with saving money and manpower, Public Works Director Jane Kreiter added, “There appears to be a substantial amount more being recycled.”

“Convenience works both ways,” Mayor Gee Williams said.

Answering a question from Councilman Zack Tyndall, Wheaton said cardboard items could either be placed in the single-stream bin or the dedicated cardboard dumpster adjacent to it.

“You could really put it in either one, it doesn’t matter,” Wheaton said. “The green dumpster gets pulled by the county and it’s taken to the landfill [and] dumped in their recycle building.”

Thus far, Wheaton said, no collections from the single-stream container have been rejected.

“This is much easier for the 15-year-old that lives at my house, I can tell you that,” Councilman Thom Gulyas said.

Tyndall added the switch was “a great idea.”

“Thanks again for bringing it up,” he said.