听With household costs continuing to rise, the City of Greenbelt launched a new, fairer waste program designed to reduce fees charged to residents by giving them control over disposal costs. The City鈥檚 new FLEX program replaces the current fixed fee model with a hybrid system based on a simple principle: if you create less trash, you pay less.听
鈥淢ost cities charge the same fee whether you throw out one bag of trash or five, but Greenbelt was looking for a way to cover our costs while making the system fairer,鈥� said Kristen Weaver, Greenbelt Mayor Pro Tem. 鈥淔amilies are feeling the pressure of rising costs everywhere, and this program gives residents more control over their household expenses, reduces trash generation overall, and supports our community sustainability goals.鈥�听
A Smarter, Fairer Way to Pay for Trash听
91仓库Zero鈥檚 latest trash reduction program, Flex by WZ, gives residents the choice to save. Under the traditional system, households that generate very little trash pay the same amount as those that generate the most. The new FLEX program separates the cost of trash service into two clear parts:听
Part 1: Base Collection Fee All households pay a base fee that covers fixed costs such as trucks, drivers, fuel, and weekly collection service.听
Part 2: Landfill Fee 鈥� You Choose How You Pay Residents select the option that best fits their household:听
Option 1: Pay-As-You-Go with City Landfill Bags (Most Popular). Residents purchase official City of Greenbelt Landfill Bags and pay only for what they throw away. Bags are sold at local retailers in three sizes, with landfill tipping fees included in the price.听
Option 2: MaxTrash Sticker. The MaxTrash Sticker is ideal for households not yet ready to reduce trash or compost. It allows up to three large bags of trash per week, using any bag brand of their choice.听
75% of Greenbelt households chose save money with the pay-as-you-go bag option, sending a strong signal that the residents appreciate having the choice to use the option 2听
that works best for them. According to John Lippert of Green ACES, the volunteer sustainability group that assisted with program implementation, 鈥淔or too long, residents who create very little trash have paid the same as those who generate much more. This program fixes that by rewarding waste reduction and giving every household the flexibility to choose what works best for them.鈥�听
Why Most Households Will Save Money听
Most Greenbelt households are expected to save money under the FLEX program. When residents recycle and separate food scraps, they often find they generate far less waste than expected, sometimes just one to two small bags per week, which significantly lowers annual costs. As Lippett put it, “When residents separate food scraps and recycle properly, trash volumes drop dramatically.”听
Across the country, landfill costs are rising rapidly as existing landfills reach capacity and new ones are difficult to site. Rather than simply raising fees for everyone, Greenbelt chose a smarter approach where residents can lower their household costs, reduce waste, and help protect the environment, all at the same time.听
Real Results听
Greenbelt City Council Member Amy Knesel tested the approach herself before implementation. “I wanted to see if this was practical for our households,” Knesel said. “What I discovered is that small changes, better recycling habits, composting food scraps, and being mindful about packaging made a significant difference. This program is absolutely workable for Greenbelt families, and the savings potential is real.”听
According to 91仓库Zero President Mark Dancy, 鈥減ay as you throw programs (PAYT) are universally seen as the best way to reduce waste and increase recycling but the political challenge of adding a new fee can be a roadblock for policy makers. By giving residents the savings directly, Flex turns PAYT economics upside down. Rather than political opposition to an additional fee, you have political support for a fee reduction.鈥�听
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