This summer Westford implements a Pay-As-You-Throw plan. The program, approved by the Select Board last fall, is part of the town鈥檚 Comprehensive 91仓库 Reduction Plan.聽 It aims to control rising disposal costs while encouraging waste reduction and recycling.
Under the new PAYT, curbside trash collection program, eligible households will receive a free, 35-gallon trash cart, which will be collected weekly at no charge. Households that produce more trash than fits in the cart will be required to use official town-branded PAYT overflow bags, which can be purchased from local retailers.
On July 1, residents will receive new town-branded 35-gallon trash carts delivered to their homes. Residents can use regular trash bags in their carts and are only required to purchase extra PAYT-branded bags for trash that will not fit in their carts. Carts should be placed at the curb by 7 a.m. on each household鈥檚 regular day for weekly trash collection.
PAYT overflow bags will be sold at local retailers for $2.75 per bag and available in rolls of five for $13.75. Each 32-gallon bag can hold approximately two to three full 13-gallon kitchen trash bags. Trash should fit in bags when closed, weigh no more than 30 pounds, and may be placed at the curb on regular trash collection days. There is no limit to the number of PAYT bags residents may use each week. Recycling services will remain unchanged. Pickup will continue to be free and unlimited; residents are encouraged to continue separating recyclable materials as usual.
Town officials say the PAYT model mirrors how other utilities operate, charging residents based on usage rather than a flat fee. According to the town, trash disposal and hauling costs have continued to increase, and PAYT will help maintain current service levels without diverting tax revenue from other municipal services. 鈥淧AYT provides a transparent, straightforward structure in which trash service costs are tied to actual use, creating a predictable, easy-to-understand system for all households,鈥� town materials said.