City invites input on trash program
Residents may offer comments
PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Presque Isle city councilors will discuss the city’s “Pay as You Throw” trash disposal program during their Aug. 1, 2016 meeting, and invite the public to comment at the session.
PAYT began on March 7, 2011. This system requires residents to purchase specific garbage bags and encourages recycling. At the beginning of the program, contracts were negotiated with two local refuse haulers to collect the PAYT bags. Those contracts will expire on Dec. 31 of this year.
According to Kim Smith, city public information officer and grant writer, there are advantages and disadvantages of the program from the city’s perspective.
“On the pro side, PAYT is fair because residents only pay for what they throw away. This means that smaller households that do not generate as much trash or who are on a low or fixed income generally spend less with the system as opposed to a flat monthly rate charged by the waste haulers. The city has seen a 7.9 percent increase in recycling and a 25.5 percent decrease in landfill waste, both of which are good for the planet,” said Smith.
“On the down side, residents may only use specific PAYT bags to participate in the program, which must be purchased at a somewhat hefty cost for the orange bags. Oversized items do not always fit in the PAYT bags and must be disposed of separately, often at an additional cost at the landfill. For large generators of refuse, it may actually cost more for PAYT than for the flat monthly rate charged by the waste haulers,” she said.
Another disadvantage of the PAYT program is that it is not presently self-sustaining, Smith said, noting revenues from PAYT do not cover all of the program expenses.
“The shortfall is covered by the taxpayer, who pays $22 towards PAYT out of a $2,546 tax bill on a $100,000 property,” she said.
Residents are invited to share their comments with the council at the Monday, Aug. 1 meeting. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. in the Council Chambers, located on the third floor of City Hall at 12 Second St.
For more information,visit the city’s website at h ttp://presqueislemaine.gov/pay-as-you-throw-payt-trash-program/.
