Aim to Ramp Up Recycling

October in East Hampton is officially Recycling Awareness Month. During this inaugural observation, the East Hampton recycling and litter committee has a bevy of activities to raise awareness about the benefits of recycling.

Ever wondered what it’s like behind the receptacles at the dump? Tours of the town recycling center on Springs-Fireplace Road are being offered this week and next. The tours can be taken tomorrow and Friday, Oct. 24, starting at 1 p.m. They are by reservation only, and those interested can book a tour by sending an email to Deborah Klughers, the committee chairwoman, at [email protected].

The committee has issued a “call for cardboard” to generate revenue for the town and reduce the cost for residents and businesses to get rid of the material. Starting Oct. 25 and running through the end of the month, the recycling center will accept clean, flattened cardboard at the old compost building. No fee will be charged.

In addition to a “recycling graveyard” that you may have noticed at Town Hall, the committee is looking for ideas about how the town can increase recycling. Tips, including photos, can be sent by email to Ms. Klughers. Also, the committee has asked schools to collect clean aluminum cans in bags provided by the town as part of a Kids Can Recycle contest. The school with the most cans by weight will win an evergreen tree.

And it should be noted that the town will host a STOP day — that stands for Stop Throwing Out Pollutants — on Saturday at the Montauk transfer station on Montauk Highway. Residents can drop off oil-based paints, pesticides, stale fuel, chemical aerosols, thinners, engine coolants, and flammable materials between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m..