Recycling Facilities

To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Massachusetts Public Records Law, I hereby request the following records:

1) HOW MUCH RECYCLED:
Documents pertaining to how much has been recycled since Jan. 1, 2017. Please also include how much as been recycled at all of the facilities. According to mass.gov, there are eight recycling facilities in Auburn, Boston, Westborough, Peabody, Brockton, Avon, Billerica, and Springfield.
Please also include documents of how much was sent to landfills, incinerators, and other facilities.

2) COSTS:
Invoices, bills, and documents that show how much it is costing to recycle and how much is being paid to Waste Management and other facilities since Jan. 1, 2017.
Publications like Telegram & Gazette, NECN, The Boston Globe have published reports of increase or subject to increase costs, so please include the costs per ton that each city and facility is paying.

3) CHINA POLICY:
Documents pertaining to and explaining how China's recycling policy is impacting the recycling facilities. Include all memos, email, and notes starting from Jan. 1, 2018 to present using the words and phrases:
• CHINA
• ASIA
• NATIONAL SWORD

4) TRAINING MATERIAL:
All current training materials and all records used to instruct members at each of the eight recycling facilities of proper use and procedure, including how they should sort through the recycling material.

5) RECYCLING RULES:
Documents and instructions specifying what is allowed to be recycled and what is not allowed to be recycled at each of the eight recycling facilities.

Please let me know if your office has any questions about this request! And if you do not have the documents all at once, you can send it in on a rolling basis!

I also request that, if appropriate, fees be waived as we believe this request is in the public interest, as suggested but not stipulated by the recommendations of the Massachusetts Supervisor of Public Records. The requested documents will be made available to the general public free of charge as part of the public information service at MuckRock.com, processed by a representative of the news media/press and is made in the process of news gathering and not for commercial usage.

I expect the request to be filled in an accessible format, including for screen readers, which provide text-to-speech for persons unable to read print. Files that are not accessible to screen readers include, for example, .pdf image files as well as physical documents.

In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 10 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Shafaq Patel (@shafaqpatel)