Pay-As-You-Throw Program Motivates More to Recycle
Citizens of Shewsbury, Mass. are putting more emphasis on recycling in order to slim down their bill for the new Worcester Telegram and Gazette.
The tax-based trash disposal system has been abandoned, and now residents simply purchase as many of the special trash bags as needed for their household. A package of five 15-gallon trash bags sells for $3.75 and five 33-gallon bags costs $7.50.
Refuse not properly bagged will be left on the curbside.
The program, which begins August 4, has motivated many to recycle and compost more. Residents are flooding the public health office with calls requesting tips.
Nancy Allen, Director of Public Health, told the Telegram she hopes the program will increase the recycling rate from 25 to 40 percent in the first year.
As of June 17th 2011 we have upgraded our comment system to use Facebook comments. The below comments are closed and are listed for historical purposes.
HJOswKS
posted on August 1st, 2008 at 8:34 am
First, I’m all for recycling all you can. With that said though..While this is good in theory, it stinks in reality. What about those that cannot afford twice the price for the garbage bags? Yes, they could recycle more……but there is still trash that needs to be thrown away. It’s just another example of people nickle and dimin’ us to death. The garbage bags that they are making them use are very expensive.