The first reading of the proposed Pay as You Throw (PAYT) ordinance was presented last Wednesday during a regularly scheduled Board of Selectmen meeting at Town Hall.
Town officials say that PAYT would cut down on waste and encourage residents to recycle.
According to the Town website: Starting in FY21, the Town will have to pay to have recycling removed from the transfer station, costing taxpayers about $912,000. Waste disposal already costs taxpayers about $5 million per year, and if we do nothing, will require a tax increase to cover the additional expenses. PAYT solves the problem by reducing trash and more fairly allocating costs to those who create them.
Under the proposal, which would take effect beginning Oct. 1 if ultimately approved, the Town will contract with a vendor who will distribute uniquely marked trash bags at commercial locations throughout Town (grocery stores, gas stations, pharmacies, etc.) and directly to private hauling companies if they wish.
Residents and businesses will purchase the official Town garbage bags instead of generic ones. Bags will be offered in a variety of sizes and prices, ranging from 13 gallons (priced at $1.25 per bag) to 33 gallons ($2). The revenue from bag sales, minus an administrative fee paid to the vendor, goes directly to the Town to cover waste disposal expenses.
If the initiative is approved, starting October 1, 2020, the Town’s Transfer Station will no longer accept trash that is not in an official Town bag. All garbage will need to be placed in the official Town bag. Private haulers will pick up garbage in the official Town bag just as they pick up garbage in generic bags, and residents can bring their garbage to the transfer station if they choose.
According to Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (CT-DEEP), PAYT in Greenwich “will provide significant environmental benefits by reducing over 13,000 tons of trash per year.”
According to the town website, the net revenue of the program would yield a total of $2,796,385, with $934,680 in trash tip savings. The net financial impact would be $3,471,447 after taking into account additional recycling tip cost.
Additionally, officials say PAYT would reduce the tax increase from 3.42% to 2.53%, resulting in a savings of about $105 for a property assessed at $1 million.
Last Wednesday, Blaize Levitan, the town’s senior management analyst, presented the ordinance in a slideshow, which was put together by CT-DEEP. Afterwards, residents commented on the initiative.
Greenwich resident Don Conway said residents can buy a box of 50 Glad garbage bags at the supermarket for $8 or $9.
“We’re talking about $2 a bag, times how many times a month you’re going to need one, times how many months in a year. It’s quite a bit of difference in cost,” he said.
Alex Capozza said the public needs to be educated more on the initiative.
“I don’t think the community has been thoroughly educated about this. It’s a great message but the delivery has come up short,” she said. “I feel like people feel suffocated, and are feeling pressure that we have to do this.”
Greenwich resident Mark Fichtel said he calculated that in Greenwich, there are 22,250 households. If each household used 90 to 100 bags per a year at a cost of $2 per bag, he said the town would produce more than $4 million in revenue.
“We were only supposed to offset $912,000. What the hell’s with all this extra money?” Fichtel added. “You’re imposing a bag tax. You’re adding a tax on people in the Town, and you’re trying to pretend it isn’t a tax… I have a lot of problems with this program. This is a very regressive tax on people who are not wealthy in this town.”
Camillo responded, and said that he grew up in Greenwich “very middle class” so he understands the concerns people have.
“We’ve given an option here — one that gives people personal control. It’s economically and environmentally the right thing to do. If you have another option, let’s hear it. We’re all ears. To do nothing would be a lack of leadership,” he said.
PAYT is expected to be discussed during future meetings.
For more information on the proposal, go to greenwichct.gov/payt.
