Selectmen Set New Trash Fees Tonight

The Board of Selectmen will set the rates for the new curbside trash pickup program at its meeting tonight, and the rates will be more than $100 less than the current rates.

There are several options for the proposed rates:

1. $80 for using the new curbside pickup and single-stream recycling beginning July 1 
2. $55 to begin curbside pickup Jan. 1, 2014. 
3. $130 To continue using all three transfer stations until Dec. 31, after which residents who choose this option will be able to continue using the Manomet station or curbside pickup.
4. $50 to use any of the three transfer stations until Dec. 31, and only the Manomet station after the new year

"The current dump sticker is $186. Private haulers cost anywhere from $400 to $700," Selectman Belinda posted on an earlier Plymouth Patch article. "What the town is offering is considerably less expensive than what is being charged now."

And with curbside you get single-stream recycling. That means every recyclable item goes into one container -- paper. plastic, bottles, cardboard all in one container. That makes recycling very easy. Plymouth currently recycles at a level of 18 to 20 percent. PAYT and single-stream recycling should double even triple our recycling rates. Our contract to dispose of solid waste ends on January 1, 2015. The town's disposal fees will triple. The only way to offset that cost is to lower our solid waste and increase recycling.

The Department of Environmental Protection say that there is NO data that curbside increases illegal dumping. If you can find the statistic to prove your point, please show me. 75 percent of Massachusetts towns already offer curbside pickup.

The board should get to the solid waste hearing at 7:20 p.m. tonight. Check the attached .PDF of the Selectmen's docket for the full presentation on trash options for residents and businesses.

Read more about Plymouth's solid waste issues:

Pay-As-You-Throw Trash Program Begins July 1

Town Meeting Approves Curbside Trash Pick-up

Plymouth Receives $135k for Curbside Recycling Program

DPW Seeking Bids on Curbside Trash Pickup

Selectmen Can't Agree on Trash Option

SWAC Gets Another Year to Study Trash Issues