Town of Needham
Solid Waste and Recycling Disposal Update 
Pay-Per-Throw bag charges for waste disposal at the
Town RTS (Recycling and Transfer Station) are scheduled
to go into effect on June 1, 1998. This
information (reprinted from a flyer supplied by the town)
is part of the the Town's effort to inform RTS users
about the program and how it will work.
What is Pay-Per-Throw?
Pay-Per-Throw is a per-bag user fee system of paying
for disposal of non-recyclable trash at
the RTS. The Town has adopted this system to finance
increased waste disposal charges which it is obligated to
pay, now that the Town landfill is closed. Among the
advantages of this system are that disposal costs will be
spread among users in proportion to use, and that by
encouraging recycling (sorted recyclables will not be
subject to bag charges) it will help limit the total cost
of operating the RTS.
How does the program work?
- Consumers will buy specially marked bags which
will be required for disposal of non-recyclable
trash after June1. The bags will be sold through
cooperating retailers, including supermarkets and
hardware stores. Large bags (thirty gallons) are
expected to be sold for seventy-five cents and
small bags (fifteen gallons) for forty cents.
Retailers will make no profit on the sale of
these bags.
- Consumers will continue to dispose of trash at
the RTS as at present, except that the
Pay-Per-Throw bags will be required for all trash
after June 1, 1998, other than for sorted
recyclables.
- Because bag charges will not apply to sorted
recyclables, customers are urged to familiarize
themselves with Needham's
Recycling Program. Yard waste,
paper, metal, glass, and several forms of plastic
(#s 1, 2, and 3) are all recyclable. Please note
that certain recyclables (glass, metal, and
recyclable plastic containers) may be
"commingled", i.e., sorted and disposed
of together.
- Exceptions: Pay-Per-Throw bags are not required
for small bulky items. These
items (for example, a broom handle or broken
chair) can be placed in the RTS bin without
charge. There will be a fee charged for large
bulky items (such as a couch or stove).
Are Disposal Area Stickers Still Required?
Yes. All holders of this years's stickers, however,
will receive a post card which can be exchanged for ten
free bags and two recycling bins. (The recycling bins are
not mandatory, but may serve to help you sort your
recyclables in your home.) These post cards will
be mailed in May - please be sure to save them! In
future years, once the Pay-Per-Throw program is
operating, the sticker fee is expected to be reduced.
Further information about the
Pay-Per-Throw program will be mailed this spring. If you
have questions before then, please call the Department
of Public Works at (781) 455-7534.
|
