PELHAM — Some residents aren't even aware that the town may start a pay-as-you-throw trash program; others have mixed opinions about whether it's a good idea.
Some residents at the transfer station Friday said they like the current system and don't want to change it. Others, however, said if a pay-as-you-throw trash program can save money, they would be all for it.
Selectmen are in the early stages of considering such a program, which is now used by 47 New Hampshire communities. Under the system, residents pay per bag of trash, but recycling is free.
Proponents said the program encourages more recycling, which generates revenue for the participating communities, and it reduces the amount of trash thrown away, saving on disposal costs.
Henry Grimard said he would support the program if it saved money. But first he wants to know the per-bag fee and how much the bags will hold.
"If it lowered my taxes, by all means I would support it," said Sandra Jones, a lifelong Pelham resident.
But others weren't supportive.
"I don't want the town to waste its time getting into the trash bag business," Dave Cronin said. "The town has enough to do without getting into the trash bag business."
Ron Walsh said the transfer station has been run successfully for decades and there's no reason to change it. He questioned whether any savings that might result would be passed on to taxpayers.
Bruce Mason, director of the transfer station, said he believes a pay-as-you-throw program could cut the town's trash expenditures by about $300,000, a savings that would be passed on to taxpayers if a special account is set up to defray the town's trash costs. Money generated through the sale of trash bags and money generated by the sale of increased recyclables would be placed in that account to defray costs, he said.
Mason said the town's current trash budget is $536,000 a year.
"We're just getting off the ground," Mason said. "We have to show residents that it is cost-effective and that it will reduce the (trash) budget. We're talking about a chance for the taxpayers to do something for themselves."
Not one town that has started a pay-as-you-throw program has reverted to the old way of handling trash, Mason said. A cost analysis will be done to help determine actual savings, he said.
Selectmen will discuss the issue again tonight.
Selectman Victor Danevich said the board also is eyeing the possibility of starting curbside trash pickup. He said he believes it's possible to start a curbside trash program at no additional expense by cutting back on the hours the transfer station is open.
But Selectman Hal Lynde said he doubts the town can offer curbside pickup without it costing taxpayers more money. Lynde said the main purpose of a pay-as-you-throw trash program is to provide an incentive to recycle.
It now costs the town $66 per ton to dispose of its trash, including paper that is thrown in with the regular trash. Encouraging more people to separate paper for recycling would generate revenue in two ways, he said. First, by reducing the amount of trash the town has to haul away and dispose of. Second, by producing more recyclable paper, which the town can sell for $35 per ton, he said.
