Hadley committee green-lights elementary composting pilot, debates shredding event costs

Hadley’s Climate Change Committee moved forward with plans to pilot food-waste separation at Hadley Elementary after the principal, Jennifer Dowd, signaled support. “We’re gonna do this,” the Chair said, summarizing the principal’s response and the committee’s intent to help the school set up collection and pay startup costs from the recycling-dividends account.

The Chair described logistics: if food separation covers both breakfast and lunch, the school would likely need a 4-cubic-yard dumpster; if limited, a 2-cubic-yard container could suffice. Weekly pickup for the 10-month school year was estimated at about $3,000, to be paid from the committee’s recycling-dividends (RDP) funds.

Members also discussed a textile-collection box run by Baystate Textiles, which offers school-box programs and can brand containers with a school logo. The principal raised security concerns about placing a donation box near school grounds; members suggested locating the box on the far side of the parking lot to keep it away from the building.

The committee debated the value of the town’s shredding event. A committee member argued shredding “has nothing to do with our mission,” questioning the energy and cost trade-offs, while the Chair said the committee receives application points for hosting such events and that residents value the service. The meeting record shows household hazardous-waste collection participation in Hadley is small (about 25 residents) but that participation costs and vendor fees have risen; the committee will reconsider whether to co-sponsor a shredding event in coming years.

Next steps: the committee plans to set up meetings with the principal and vendors to launch the composting pilot by early fall and will reassess shared community events like shredding during budget planning.