In order to improve convenience and increase participation in recycling programs, MIRA accepts both single stream and dual stream commingled recyclables from its customers.

OVERVIEW OF CSWS RECYCLING FACILITY

The Connecticut Solid Waste System (CSWS) Recycling Facility located at 211 Murphy Road in Hartford accepted single stream and dual stream recycling until processing operations at the facility ceased in May 2021.  Processing ceased due to anticipated declines in demand and following unsuccessful efforts to refurbish the facility.  The facility then ran as a transfer operation and has now been vacated by the transfer operator effective July 1, 2023.  The facility was fully functional when processing operations ceased and the Authority maintains the necessary operating permits issued by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.  The facility is surplus to the Authority’s current operations, and held in standby if needed in response to service disruptions at other Connecticut waste management facilities, while policy decisions concerning its future use are made.

CSWS Participating Municipalities currently deliver single or dual stream recycling to MIRA’s Essex and Torrington transfer stations where the recycling material is consolidated onto transfer trailers and delivered to a privately operated processing facility in Berlin CT.  The recycling material is then sorted, baled, and sold to markets and remanufactured into new consumer products.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Do CSWS Participating Municipalities Pay a Separate Tip Fee for Recycling Deliveries?

No the Municipal Service Agreements only provide for payment of a tip fee for deliveries of municipal solid waste.  There are no separate charges for delivery of recycling.  This provides our municipal customers and private haulers economic incentive to maximize recycling.

Is MIRA Paid Revenue for Recycling Deliveries to the Privately Operated Processing Facilities?

No MIRA pays a variable net fee for processing recyclables.  The net fee varies relative to the value of recycling material delivered.  The net fee is reduced when recycling commodity values increase.  And the net fee is increased when recycling commodity values decrease.  MIRA’s net cost of recycling service is built into the tip fee charged for municipal solid waste deliveries.

What Material is Acceptable to Recycle?

The Municipal Service Agreements refer to Connecticut Solid Waste System Permitting, Disposal and Billing Procedures for the following definition of “Acceptable Recyclables”:

“Acceptable Recyclables” shall include the following types of Solid Waste generated by and collected from residential, commercial, institutional, industrial and other establishments, and deemed acceptable by MIRA in accordance with all applicable federal, state and local laws as well as these procedures for processing by and disposal at the Recycling Facilities. Acceptable Recyclables shall include, but is not limited to, Commingled Container Recyclables, Paper Fiber Recyclables, Single Stream Recyclables and any other Solid waste deemed by MIRA in its sole discretion to be Acceptable Recyclables.

Recycling Guidelines

MIRA further specifies what are considered to be Acceptable Recyclables in its Recycling Guidelines

Click here for MIRA’s recycling guide.

Click here for MIRA’s Permitting, Billing & Disposal Procedures