HILLTOWNS – Transfer stations in the hilltowns, considered essential services, are open and operating, with a few changes in protocol.

Elizabeth Massa, a member of the Chester Board of Health said the town has put out a flyer to residents on new Transfer Station protocols, which have included temporarily shutting down the swap shop.

“The Board of Health put out a flyer two weeks ago shutting down the swap shop and listed social distancing protocols at the Chester Transfer Station. All attendants were given disposable gloves personally by me and my own supply since we have not received our requested PPE [personal protective equipment] yet ... and told to wear a hat. Because the transfer station is a health issue it must remain open,” Massa said.

The Chester flyer asks residents to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus at the transfer station by taking certain precautions. These include dumping trash, recycling and compost quickly, and keeping a safe distance of six feet from other users and attendants.

Residents are asked not to linger on the premises to visit, and to make fewer trips. They are also reminded to wash their hands or use hand sanitizer after leaving the transfer station.

In Blandford, Jennifer Girard, chair of the Blandford Board of Health, said the transfer station is keeping normal business hours until further notice.

“We have been fortunate, we have not had any cases to date,” Girard said on March 27, adding, “We are not restricting anything we don’t already restrict.” Girard said they are monitoring the situation on a day to day basis until things change.

“As far as keeping people safe, they’ve always used the PPE anyway, gloves. Because we’re a very small town, [there are] not 10 people at once, people trickle in one or two a time,” Girard said.
Girard said there is evidence that people in Blandford are taking the time at home to do some spring cleaning. “They’re the same people who go to the transfer station anyway; instead of three bags, they may be bringing four. To compensate for that, some people aren’t going out at all,” she said.

“We’re still on key, until further notice – but that could change any day,” Girard added.

Huntington attendants have also seen evidence that residents are doing some spring cleaning; and bringing extra items to the transfer station during the open hours, including full bins for household materials.

There have been no changes in hours to date at the station, but changes unrelated to COVID-19 are coming in June, when Huntington will be returning to dual stream recycling and asking residents to separate paper and cardboard from cans and bottles. The change is due to a dramatic increase in the price of single stream recycling.

Transfer station attendant Marty Nicholas said on March 28 that Huntington is one of only two towns in the Hilltown Resource Management Cooperative that had previously converted to single stream recycling.