Pittsfield Toter System Reducing Waste, Increasing Recycling
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The new toter system has significantly reduced trash and doubled recycling.
Pittsfield now throws away about 1,024 tons of trash per month, down from 1,388 tons, and recycles about 201 tons per month, compared to 148 tons. Since its implementation in the fall, the city has saved more than $367,000.
Mayor Peter Marchetti thinks the numbers speak for themselves.
"When we first implemented this program, I couldn't go anyplace without someone saying 'This program is a terrible idea,'" he told the City Council.
"As we are now getting further and further into the system, I am being approached by people to say 'Mr. Mayor, it was a bumpy ride but I think we're getting there.'"
Commissioner of Public Services and Utilities Ricardo Morales said the overall trend is trash went down, recycling went up, "That's evident." He pointed out that trash was reduced by 364 tons per month and recycling by 53 tons per month.
"Percent wise, it is about the same percent of trash reduction versus what we produce in trash, percent of recycling reduction versus what we produce in recycles," Morales said.
"However, that did not sit well with me that there was something not adding up to the total. We reduced trash, I wanted to see the same increase in recycling. Then I started thinking about what could be producing that discrepancy and we have a consensus, not just myself but in speaking with Casella, in speaking with members of the team, of what can be causing this."
It was found that about 50 tons were eliminated by the 420 households removed from the program, the 48-gallon toter limit leads to a reduction in heavier waste, and trash is not being brought in from neighboring towns utilizing Pittsfield's former unlimited pickup. There are also several eligible residents who opted out.
"I wish we had a way to quantify all of this but it is very difficult to quantify these things," Morales said.
"The number one measure that we'll see is how we track every month for the next year, year and a half, two years and how these trends follow."
From September to October, recycling went from about 10 percent to 15 percent, and in December, it was at about 18 percent. Trash went from about 90 percent to about 82 percent.
Morales' "high hope" is to have 25 percent recycling and 75 percent trash.
Under the initial rollout, 34,476 toters have been delivered and the rest are expected by Jan. 15.
The "bumpy ride" during implementation included roll-out and operational challenges with deliveries, toter malfunctions, missed collections, and time management.
Morales gave an overview of the more than 730 violations residents have been tagged for. More than 400 people were cited for using a personal bin, nearly 130 for having the wrong recycling out, and almost 110 for putting out just bags.
Of those tagged, it was reported that only 10 percent were repeat offenders.
"It's not insignificant, but I think it's a low number compared to the grand scheme levels," the commissioner said.
Over more than an hour, councilors gave feedback and expressed concerns with pickup and customer service. At open microphone, a Woodlawn Avenue resident expressed troubles with rats after neighbors let trash spill out of toters and onto the ground, adding "This [trash] ordinance has to be enforced."
Councilor at Large Alisa Costa commented that she knows people are struggling to adjust to the new system, as it is not easy to decrease trash if you can't afford another tote. She asked Marchetti if there was a place in the community where people could go for help or guidance.
He said the answer is currently "no" but the administration has had conversations about holidays when the waste increases.
"I think there are conversations that we can have internally as a city about how can we help those that can't afford. We've got Community Development Block Grant guidelines for certain things," Marchetti explained.
"I think we can develop something. It's not on the forefront. I never thought we'd get 17,000-plus households to be putting out the trash bucket and putting out the recyclable bucket. We're there and things are going, now we can start digging down but when we see those instances, I think it would be helpful to be doing this on a case by case as we start, rather than trying to open up a whole can of worms and trying to create something because I think we'll learn by looking at the case by cases."
During the meeting, the council approved a five-year contract beginning on July 1 with the state Department of Environmental Protection and WM Recycle America LLC for processing the city's recyclables.
Pittsfield's current contract with the DEP for recycling at the Springfield Material Recycling Facility expires on June 30.
"We should continue on with the MRF. It is a good deal for the city. The city not only would benefit from continuing with the material facility on Springfield, other communities will benefit as well by being there with us," Morales said.
"It's synergetic. We all work in this together."
The new contract includes a provision for an annual processing fee adjustment of one percent of the prior year's processing fee beginning next year and a tonnage fee adjustment will apply when annual tonnage falls below the baseline of 16,800 tons.
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