Pittsfield City Trash Talk: Part Two

Some of us might be sick of talking about trash collection in the city of Pittsfield, but it's far from over, and now there's a new player in the mix.

While Mayor Tyer has been holding informational meetings about her proposed toter system upgrade for the city's garbage collection, the Pittsfield City Council, who sent her original proposal back with questions, unanimously voted to invite another collection company to present a different idea.

According to The Berkshire Eagle, The 11 members of the council were all able to agree on one thing, that they are open to hearing about another option. They have extended an invitation to Waste Zero, another waste hauler, to their upcoming meeting on February 27th, to give a presentation on a "pay-as-you-throw" system, which does not involve toters, but instead charges residents based on the amount of trash they put curbside.

Several counselors, including Vice President John Krol, have been outspoken about exploring alternatives to the Mayor's proposed plan, which would require residents to use a 45 gallon container for trash, and 96 gallon container for recycling, for garbage removal. The toters would be provided to residents at the expense of the city, but overflow bags would be purchased by the individual. The pay-as-you-throw system would see residents pay for each bag they use, so cost per household would vary depending on the amount of garbage you put out.

I'm interested in hearing details about the new proposal, and I certainly have questions. Do I have to pay for every bag, every week, or is there an allotment of bags provided by the city? What if something doesn't fit into, or rips a bag?  Can bags still go into bins, if yes, will collectors have to go through every bin and check to make sure everything is in a proper bag? If we switch from Republic to Waste Zero, how does that effect the current collection employees?

If you'd like to hear more as well, the February 27th meeting starts at 7 p.m. in City Hall and is, as all council meetings, open to the public.