MEXICO – All those items that people find just too good to throw away now have a second chance to be used.

The Northern Oxford Regional Transfer Station will take the items, or separate them from the garbage, and place them in a new building set up at the site. Then people who might want or need those things can make an offer.

The new service runs from 8 a.m. until noon Wednesday.

“Two or three other towns do it. We thought we’d give it a try,” said Northern Oxford Regional Solid Waste Board President Dick Pierce.

He said the new program is an effort to reduce the amount of solid waste from the River Valley area to the New Hampshire landfill. If the program is successful, the drop-off hours may be expanded.

A new 12-foot by 30-foot, three-bay building was constructed to house usable items. A portion of the building will be used to store waste items containing mercury or lead in 2005, the year Pierce said the state will require removing these toxic elements from the waste stream.

The $11,500 required to construct the building came from a State Planning Office combination grant.

Pierce said he hopes residents will set aside items in good condition that someone else can use. Any money raised from the drop off barn will go to pay for the extra time needed by employees to separate the items and help out residents looking for a bargain.

Pierce said the NORSWB is always looking for ways to cut down on disposal costs. About 8,500 tons of garbage are carried from Mexico to the New Hampshire landfill annually at a rate of $55 per ton.

“When we visited the Bridgton transfer station, we learned they took 20 tons out of the waste stream annually (with the drop-off program). I don’t expect that much but we will try it out,” Pierce said.

Eric Schmersal, manager of the NORTS and writer of the grant, said good items have often been set aside for use by those who need them, on an informal basis. With the new program, he and his employees are working out the details to smooth the flow of items between the main part of the transfer station and the drop off barn.

eadams@sunjournal.com

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