Trash collection programs mulled in Dedham
By Lindsey Parietti
DAILY NEWS STAFF
DEDHAM - Residents may not notice any immediate change in the way their trash is collected, but the town's new waste disposal contract could lead to an overhaul of its recycling program.
With projected trash removal costs rising and a contract with Waste Management set to expire in June, the town recently solicited bids from trash haulers and awarded Russell Disposal of Somerville a three-year contract that took effect Tuesday.
Russell Disposal's bid was nearly $200,000 lower than bids from two other companies. The $2 million contract is about $350,000 less than what the town anticipated trash services would cost in fiscal 2009, said Town Administrator William Keegan.
Keegan and the Board of Selectmen will also look at a new automated collection and single stream recycling program, which could save the town an additional $140,000.
Automated collection reduces labor costs because it uses a robotic arm to empty trash bins and thus only requires one person, a driver, to operate the truck.
Single stream recycling would encourage more residents to recycle because it allows them to put all recyclables paper, plastic, glass and metal in one bin without sorting them, Keegan said.
If the town adopts the new system, residents would be given a 64-gallon trash bin that would be collected each week and a 96-gallon recycling bin, which would be collected bi-weekly.
"My sense is that this is a major change in the way we do trash removal," selectmen Chairman Jim MacDonald said. "It's something I think that will take a while. If we were to do it, (we would) maybe look at it for next year."
MacDonald said he is waiting to see how the program works in Norwood, which is implementing single-stream recycling in October.
The town of Mansfield has seen recycling double under a similar program that started in April 2007, according to a report posted on Dedham's Web site.
New fees could also be on the horizon for Dedham residents who have long enjoyed free collection of so-called white items, such as refrigerators and washing machines, and bulk items such as couches, Keegan said.
Many surrounding towns, including Norwood, already charge fees to pick up household appliances, said Keegan, who estimated the fee would be $15 per item based on what it costs the town to remove them.
Keegan will make a presentation to the Board of Selectman about the new programs and potential fees at the July 17 meeting.
Residents would be educated about any new program through mailings, videos and information sessions.
Lindsey Parietti can be reached at lindsey.parietti@cnc.com.
