Pittsfield Announces Trash/Recycling Bin Disposal Opportunities

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Residents will have two opportunities to dispose of their old trash and recycling containers as the new toter system rolls out.

This includes a drop-off at Casella Waste Systems' transfer station, located at 500 Hubbard Ave., and a residential pickup within the next few weeks.

On Saturday, Nov. 9, residents can drop them off at the transfer station from 8 a.m. to noon. During the week of Nov. 11-15, old trash and recycling containers will be picked up curbside on the same day of scheduled collection.

"Casella will pick up any old trash and recycling containers, left at the curbside, by a separate truck and not by the trash or recycling truck," the city recently wrote in a press release.

"For residents who have backyard pickups, unless you indicate that you are keeping the old
container with a note, Casella will pick up your old container(s) the week of November 11."

The city encouraged residents to repurpose the containers if possible. This can mean selling or donating, using them for storage or yard waste, and using them as a compost bin.


The delivery of recycling toters began on Sept. 10 and trash toters began rolling out last week.  

In June, the council approved draft five-year contracts with Casella Waste Management for a new trash system that uses 48-gallon toters for recycling and trash.

The administration reached constituents through nine community meetings, mailers, print and digital media, radio, public access, and social media so they were informed about the new system.

During the meetings, attendees expressed concern about disposing of their old containers.  While this had not been considered early on in the process, the city made a plan.

Officials say Pittsfield's nearly 17,400 households produce about 1,800 pounds of trash each annually, generating close to 20 tons as a community. The system aims to reduce each household's waste to 1,370 pounds annually.

There is a potential for more than $500,000 in cost savings through the program, Mayor Peter Marchetti said, and most is through recyclables. Automation saves the city $80,000 per year and the city can see much larger savings if it steps up on recycling.

Additional resources for the new trash and collection system can be found on the toter program page on the city's website.


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Companion Corner: Fox at Berkshire Humane Society

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — There's a sweet and energetic dog at the Berkshire Humane Society waiting for his new family.

iBerkshire's Companion Corner is a weekly series spotlighting an animal in our local shelters that is ready to find a home.

Fox is a 3-year-old Pomeranian who has been at the shelter for about a month.

Canine caregiver and adoption counselor Simone Olivieri told us about Fox. 

"He's a bundle of joy. He would love a family who's home with him a lot, because he's just, he's very social and wants to be with his people a lot. And he would be fun to bring out and about, bring a lot of places, because he's very happy to go anywhere," she said.

When Fox enters the room he is immediately a puffball of energy that goes around and around the room.

He came to the shelter after his former owner could not take care of him anymore. 

"The owner was just not able to care for him anymore. Had he came in with another dog, Wolf, and she already did find her forever home just last week," said Olivieri. "The two of them were left with a friend of the original owner, and the owner did not come back to pick them up, and the friend had too many animals in the house, and too much going on, and she just couldn't continue to look after them, so they did end up coming to us."

Fox can go home with cats and children but is not recommended to go home with other dogs as he gets too excited.

"He would love a home where people are home quite a bit to give him all the attention that he so desires. He loves kids. He absolutely adores children. So he would like a home with kids to play with. He could live with cats. We are saying that he should not live with other dogs. The only reason is that he gets very humpy, and he does not leave the other dogs alone," she said.

With his energy it is recommended he goes to a home that can keep him active whether walks or hikes and even fetch in the yard.

Fox does need to learn more about walking on a leash and has a tendency to mark in the house but he was recently neutered. Olivieri said belly bands will be sent home with whoever adopts him to help prevent marking and managing it.

"He would like an active home. He really does like to go for walks daily. He likes to run around in the yard. He does need a little work on leash walking. He sometimes gets a little tangled still under your feet, and he's learning how to walk on a leash," she said. "So, someone who's got some patience and some time to work on some training with him."

"He also is not fully potty trained, so he does know to go potty outside. However, he will still mark, urinate in the house sometimes, and he might poop here and there in the house."

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