The Andover Transfe Station

The Andover Transfer Station

Recycling Station
Taken By William Cox

On February 6th, 2016, our AP Environmental Science class took a field trip to the Andover Transfer Station, where all our trash and recycling goes before getting recovered and incinerated. "In Andover, about 72% of trash is recovered" says Alan, seeming almost content with the majority percentage that represents the amount of trash that will be reused amongst us humans. Waste that is recovered is waste that will not end up in an incinerator or a landfill. In the picture above, my peer Amen is recycling some waste products in a system known as single stream recycling, which is a system in which a sizable list of materials can be recycled together in the same container. This list of materials includes all paper fibers, aluminum, plastics #1-7, cardboard, and other recyclable materials. Other recoverable waste products are placed for transfer in other compartments and designated corners of the transfer station.

 

In the picture to the right, my peer QuocAnh is throwing a bag of garbage into the hopper. Which is a giant mechanism stored inside of a building, that occasionally crushes all inside of it into a small cube, to be shipped off and incinerated or planted into a landfill. All waste disposed of in the hopper is the percentage of waste that is not recovered. This includes about 28% of waste. 

"White Goods"
Taken by William Cox

In this picture, all the "White Goods" (Fridges, Freezers, Air conditioners etc...) are placed in one corner of the transfer station because they are to be recovered in specific ways. These products often contain freon, which is a moderately toxic chemical created by the ever-growing chemical industry.

 

Metal Waste Container
Taken by William Cox

The picture above is a picture of the container in which all of our metal waste is to be thrown. This often includes alliances that are non-toxic, as well as any random scrap metal, like broken bicycles. 

Tire Container
Taken by William Cox

The picture above depicts the place in which all of the tires are placed for recovery. These tires must be recovered because otherwise they create very toxic fumes when incinerated, and they take an extremely long time to break down in a landfill. 

"[All] electronics that are brought to the transfer station in 

Andover are shipped to Rochester to be recycled" Says local worker named Debbie. There was a whole room full of old televisions and other electronic devices, including a special spot for batteries and mercury containing devices. 

"Most of the electronics that are brought in still work" Says Debbie, referring to the many old televisions stored in the building, waiting for transfer to Rochester. 

"Most places want to get to 0% waste" Says teacher Alan McIntyre, expressing his hopeful outlook on trash and how we deal with it. Hopefully in the future we can eliminate food waste, which makes up 10-14% of waste. 

Most of the resource recovery at the Andover Transfer Station and most other Transfer Stations is mandated by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, an act designed to create a framework for the proper management of hazardous and non-hazardous waste.