Submitted by Mary Nork, Haddam Sustainability Committee
(October 11, 2026) — Many of us have become aware of the carbon footprint our society has been leaving. We hope that most households participate, at least, in the “single stream” program that recycles some of the cans and numbered plastic ware that has been discarded.
The Haddam Sustainability Committee has established a number of projects at the Transfer Station, as well as around town, to reduce the cost of our municipal waste, which affects our carbon footprint. One program in particular is our soft plastic collection.
Since the inception, in 2019, of this plastics recycling program run through the TREX Company, we have removed close to 14,000 pounds of plastic bags. Who would have thought those flimsy plastic bags would ever weigh so much? In fact, our volunteers pick up bags from the collection bin every day that the Transfer Station is open, gathering up ten to thirty pounds each time! The volunteers empty the bin, load what’s in there into huge, clear bags, weigh them and deliver them to the loading area at the Middletown Stop and Shop store.
Materials that qualify for this program include plastic bags, bubble wrap, and packaging that has a stretchy quality. Participants collect these plastics at home and deliver them to the bin labeled “Soft Plastics” at the Transfer Station (photo above). It is located at the far left under the awning. We ask that the plastic be clean and dry and that it be tied up when dropped off. Plastic that is put loose into the bin tends to escape, and volunteers have to spend more time cleaning up the area.
You may wonder what happens next to the plastic. TREX receives bundles that have been compressed into 1000 pound lots, from businesses that have special equipment. They then use the material in their products. TREX pays those businesses for each bundle. Since we’re just a small community, we don’t have the ability to process plastic unless we have a dedicated area.
Over the years we have been awarded several benches as a thank-you from TREX for participating in the program. We have placed one in front of the barber shop on Route 81, one on the Higganum Green near the gazebo, one in front of the Senior Center (photo above), and two at the Town Office Building. These benches need little upkeep and will last a long time. I am very proud of our townsfolk who have taken part in this program, and I hope you all have an occasion to enjoy and relax on our beautiful benches! More information on this program can be found at the website nextrex.com.
If you are interested in finding out more about the Haddam Sustainability Committee, we meet on the fourth Tuesday of the month, at 6:30 p.m. at the Old Town Hall, 21 Field Park Drive in Haddam. The meetings are open to the public, and we are always looking for ways to better serve Haddam. Please contact us at haddamsustainabilitycommittee@gmail.com with ideas, suggestions or ways to get involved.
Photos by Mary and John Nork
