Antrim and Greenfield used grant funds from New Hampshire the Beautiful for new equipment at their transfer stations. 

New Hampshire the Beautiful is a nonprofit organization that provides funds to improve municipal recycling programs and facilities.  Antrim received the maximum available grant of $5,000 to put toward the cost of an electric forklift at the transfer station. The total cost of the electric forklift, which the town received in May, was $43,975.  

According to Antrim Select Board Chair Michael Ott,  the board had approved funds to purchase the forklift in January, and the balance of the cost was covered by regular recycling center operating funds. 

“We also received some residual value when we sold the old forklift, which was replaced by the electric one. The New Hampshire the Beautiful Grant helped offset the residual cost of the unit,” Ott said. 

The electric forklift was delivered to the Antrim Transfer Station in May and has been in regular use since then. 

“It’s great. Really easy to maneuver, way easier than the old one,” said William “Mo” Ouillette of the transfer station.

Glen Titcomb of the transfer station staff said he liked the electric vehicle because it is quiet and easy to drive.

“Electric is better for the planet. Doing the work we do, that is something we think about a lot, and it’s important,” Titcomb said. 

Greenfield used $1,500 in grant funds to purchase two storage containers to move the scrap metal and demolition bins to a separate area behind the main transfer station.

Greenfield Recycling Center Director Caleb “C.J.” Hall said he and staff member Bill Gaudette had long been wanting to reorganize the scrap metal and demolition drop-off area into a drive-through zone. Currently, drivers must back out of the drop-off area. 

“The way it is set up right now, it causes a logjam with traffic. We have scrap metal and demo and the electronics drop off over there, and it’s right next to the swap shop, so the traffic pattern is an issue,” Hall said. “Moving it down below, it can be a drive-through, without people having too back out or get in one another’s way. There is just too much going on up at the top.”

Gaudette said the pedestrian traffic in the area is also problematic.

“People are walking back and forth in between cars and it is not ideal,” Gaudette said.

Reagan Bissonnette of Northeast Resource Recovery Association encourages towns to apply for grant funding for projects in their recycling centers and transfer stations. 

“New Hampshire the Beautiful is one of the easiest available grants for NH towns. We provide grant money for any type of equipment that will improve town’s recycling centers. We have funded electric forklifts, skid steers, signage and other equipment which improves towns’ recycling programs,” Bissonnette said. 

New Hampshire the Beautiful is funded by the members of the New Hampshire Beverage Association, the Beverage Distributors of New Hampshire Association and the New Hampshire Grocers Association to support and develop programs to address litter, recycling challenges and environmental awareness and education.

New Hampshire the Beautiful works in partnership with the Northeast Resource Recovery Program, which is the largest cooperative-model recycling nonprofit in the country and includes 90% of the communities in New Hampshire.

For information on the New Hampshire the Beautiful grant program, go to nhthebeautiful.org/who-we-are. For information on the Northeast Resource Recovery Program, go to nrrarecycles.org/about-nrra.