Concern over new garbage proposal causes stink

Sanford - Some Sanford residents are concerned over a new trash collecting program. The proposed Pay-As-You-Throw program would hopefully reduce solid waste sent to the Maine Energy Recycling Corporation or MERC. However that has not prevented town residents from voicing their opinions against the program. Most residents feel that it would simply become another cost added to their already tight budgets.

The plan if implemented now would involve residents purchasing either specially marked 15 or 33 gallon garbage bags at local stores and placing solid waste in only those bags on the side of the road for garbage removal each week. Solid waste not contained in one of these bags would not be picked up for disposal. Along with the curbside pickup, all solid waste brought to the town transfer station would need to be contained in one of these specially purchased bags. The costs of these bags would be $1.25 for the 15 gallon bag and $2 for the 33 gallon bag.

Recycling and reducing waste is the main priority with the adoption of the Pay-As-You-Go program. Sanford’s recycling rate is around 10 percent, however the goal is to increase this number to 40 percent. Also with the implementation of the new system, the current recycling pickup schedule would go from once every two weeks to weekly. As of now Sanford sends 7,990 tons of waste to the Maine Energy Recycling Corporation. However according to the proposal this number could be reduced significantly to 5,300 tons. This is important as the town has a Guaranteed Annual Tonnage or GAD deal with MERC in which the town pays for the disposal of 10,000 tons of waste. If there is a reduction of the current number sent to MERC there could be a adjusting of the rate to match the towns new lower solid waste output.

Despite these news ideas there has been a backlash against the proposal. Concerns range from the new cost of the bags to how the town will deal with residents who illegally dump their waste. The Sanford town council has tried to address these concerns by stating that there will be measures in place to deal with illegal waste disposal. Also they amended the town’s solid waste ordinance to include that the cost of the Pay-As-You-Go bags will not increase for two years after the implementation of the program.