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Trash & Recycling
Trex Challenge Update:
The Trex collection bin will not be available at Old Lyme Town Hall as of Monday, October 2. The volunteers who collect, sort, weigh, and deliver this plastic to its next destination, are no longer able to adequately maintain the bin. You can still recycle your clean, dry, empty, and stretchy plastic film in Old Lyme by bringing it to the bottle and can center at Big Y. Other "Big Box" stores, like Walmart, have collection bins near their main entrances, as well. Plastic film is hard to avoid in our daily lives. Please seek out ways to refuse, reduce, reuse, or recycle plastic bags and films at a local store.
Plastic bags and stretchy film do not belong in our green curbside recycling bins.
Trash & Single Stream Recycling Pickup
Street Pickup Schedule (PDF): Some streets have trash and recycling on the same day of the week, while others have two different days. Find your street listed alphabetically by each day of the week.
If your trash or recycling has not been picked up as scheduled, please contact our trash hauler, CWPM.
Old Lyme's Trash & Recycling Vendor: (860) 447-1473
Holidays:
New Year’s Day • Memorial Day • July 4th • Labor Day • Thanksgiving Day • Christmas Day
“When in doubt, put it out.” Although CWPM recognizes the above holidays, residents are encouraged to put their trash and recycling out as scheduled, in the event that it is picked up that day. Otherwise, pickup will likely be the next day.
Need a new Trash or Recycle Bin
Order a New/Additional Trash or Recycle Bin. Both containers are the property of the Town of Old Lyme and are assigned to a specific address. Do not take bins with you when you move.
Blue Bins = Trash
Green Bins = Single Stream Recycling
Blue Trash Bins: No yard waste, recycling, or hazardous waste of any kind.
CWPM hauls Old Lyme’s trash to a Covanta waste-to-energy facility in Preston. This is an alternative to municipal trash being transported to a landfill out of state. How much trash do Old Lyme residents generate? (PDF)
Green Recycling Bins: DO NOT BAG YOUR RECYCLABLES!
NO plastic bags or plastic film. (Film is any plastic that is flexible or flimsy i.e. burble wrap)
Do not separate recyclable plastic, glass, metal, and paper. All recyclable materials must be clean. Find out what can or cannot be recycled in Old Lyme. When in doubt, throw it out (in your blue bin.)
CWPM transports Old Lyme’s green bin recyclables to Casella Waste (Willimantic Waste). Casella commits that 100 percent of the non-contaminated recyclables that it receives and processes is sold to end markets to be made into new products or put to beneficial use. Interested in where your recyclables go? Watch this video.
Recycling Outside The Green Bin
Not all recyclable materials are collected in the green bins. Other opportunities to help reduce waste include:
- Textiles: NEW! Transfer Station Collection Bin. Clean clothing, linens and even footwear too worn to be appropriate for charitable donation can now be left in the Bay State Textiles Recycling box at the Transfer Station during regular operating hours.
- Hazardous waste:Now collected at a satellite location.
- Unwanted Medicines and Medical Waste:Learn how to properly prepare unwanted medicine for disposal. Drug take-back events for unwanted prescription medications are held twice a year and are co-sponsored by LYSB and the Prevention Coalition. Unwanted medications can be placed in a drop box at the East Lyme Police Station, the Old Saybrook CVS, and other locations. See guidance on disposal of other medical and biohazardous waste.
- Yard Waste: The Transfer Station accepts leaves free of charge (residents must empty and remove paper or plastic bags.) The Town of Old Lyme encourages residents to compost their leaves and grass. Brush with no wood or limbs thicker than 4” is accepted at the Transfer Station for $60/ton. Brush should not include invasive species such as Japanese Knotweed, Purple Loosestrife, and Phragmites. Learn more about disposing invasive plant species.
- PLASTIC BAGS and Plastic Film: Clean plastic bags and films can be dropped off at Big Y in their redemption center as well as, the Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library. Review the types of plastic products that can be collected.
Composting Ideas
Reducing food waste in your trash bin, the volume of garbage you generate can lighten by up to 25% (source: CT DEEP) Learn more about composting at home . The Town of Old Lyme encourages residents to also compost their leaves and grass.
Use our interactive tool to see what Consumer items can now be dropped off at Old Lyme Transfer Station.