The Health Department’s “Pay-As-Your-Throw” trash program, which will require residents using the Twiss Street Transfer Station to purchase bags to dispose of household waste will now start on Sept. 1.
Reminder Publishing file photo
WESTFIELD — Citing logistics challenges, the Board of Health recently pushed back the start of its “Pay-As-You-Throw” program from July 1 to Sept. 1.
“We knew it wasn’t going to happen by July 1,” said the city’s Director of Public Health Debra Mulvenna about the program that was included in a host of changes made to the city’s solid waste regulations in March.
The primary reason for pushing back the date was that the Health Department had yet to line up vendors to sell the bags needed for the program.
“We didn’t want to take the chance and not have the vendors in place,” she said.
The department is aiming to have at least one of the city’s larger grocery stores sell the bags residents will need once the program starts.
Starting on Sept. 1, every resident who throws away household trash will be required to purchase and use orange bags that will come in five-bag rolls in two sizes: 33-gallon bags for $15 and 15-gallon bags for $7.50.
Mulvenna said the new program is a way to encourage residents who use the transfer station to recycle, which is already required.
“It’s all about cutting down the amount of trash,” Mulvenna said.
The board believes that if people have to pay to throw away their trash, they won’t generate as much, Mulvenna said.
“It’s important that residents reduce, reuse and recycle,” she said. “We just can’t continue to have residents throw away unlimited amounts of trash.”
Removing recyclables from the household waste stream lowers the amount the city pays each year to have its trash hauled to a waste-processing facility such as a landfill.
Currently, the city pays $118 per ton, which doesn’t include hauling costs.
Last year, the transfer station had nearly 760 tons of municipal waste hauled away, and that doesn’t include what’s picked up curbside.
She said the Board of Health began discussing the transfer station regulations after she couldn’t, despite her best efforts, find out whether there had ever been any regulations for the transfer station.
There was also a need to protect transfer station staff and city residents.
When regulations were not in place, residents sometimes had problems at the station: if a station employee told a resident they could not dispose of a particular item there, the employee could not refer the resident to any regulations.
It was hoped that having regulations in place would minimize the occasional problems.
“We’re doing this for public health, not to punish people,” Mulvenna said, adding that residents have been calling the department with waste-related questions since the new regulations were announced in March.
Transfer Station Rules and Regulations:
- Proof of residency, whether it be a driver’s license, state ID, tax or utility bill, is required to use the station.
- All vehicles must have a sticker affixed to the back of their rearview mirror, but no permit is needed if they are dropping off grass clippings or leaves.
- Walk-ins are not allowed.
- All household trash must be in a city-approved bag and tied before disposal. No loose trash, other than bulk items, will be accepted.
- Bags are for one-time use only and cannot be reused after being dumped into the container.
- All residents using the facility should be able to do so on their own. If not, residents should bring someone to help them.
- Trash disposal of any kind outside the posted operating hours, 7 a.m. to 2:45 p.m., Monday through Saturday, is not permitted. Unacceptable materials left behind after hours are illegal.
- Foul language, gestures or honking of horns will not be tolerated.
- Scavenging, salvaging or removal of any materials from the transfer station is prohibited.
- All children under the age of 12 and pets must remain in the vehicle.
- Materials that are not accepted at the station include construction, demolition or commercial waste; household hazardous products, such as tile, toilet, counter, or window cleaners; and tree branches, brush or wood.
While most of these rules are already in effect, on Sept. 1, use of the orange bags will be required.
For more information, call the station at 413-568-1159, the Health Department at 413-572-6210, or visit Recycling Program & Twiss Street Transfer Station.
