Changes in Trash coming

[kpplus2]

This is what I copied and pasted from the 16 March Select Board meeting minutes:

"You will be allowed the equivalent of a 60 gallon bag per week.  If you have more trash than that you will need to purchase a sticker/tag(s).  A price per sticker/tag has not yet been determined.  A plan of action was established with different board members taking on different tasks to complete.  The plan is to hold two public informational meetings in the near future".

[7F24]

Does this include recycle?

[kpplus2]

No I think recycle is good to go from what I'm looking at. This is the states way of encouraging recycling and charging for more trash. Seems to be a work in progress.

[kpplus2]

This is just another "tax" (buying stickers if you have what is deemed to much trash) to control what we do or what we throw away. we have to keep in mind this state wants to control everything we do from trash, to recycling, to if we drink a coke, to our healthcare options, more to come I'm sure. I just wanted to put out what is coming with what we put out by the street as I see it. 

[Rev. Elizabeth]

ummm. Where does one get the stickers??

[kpplus2]

I would imagine at the town office. Looks like when they work the bugs out of this new program they are going to have a couple of public meetings, and I would assume they will put out information on the town web site when this program gets started. I know the state is pushing for a 1 July implementation. The question I wonder about is does this mean with proposed "less trash" being picked up, meaning less tonnage to the dump; equaling a lower bill from Duffy's hence a lower tax expense to the town?

[logical]

Suspect we'll see an increase in illegal dumping and burning. 

[HayesFXFD17]

Not sure how this will be enforced but it has disaster written all over it.  Having lived in Fairfax on a private road I can't tell you how many times people from presumably other towns (to get out of paying for their own trash pick up) dropped bags off and other misc items at the end of my road.  My question is so if there is more trash than "allowed" and there is "no sticker" because of the described scenario who is penalized and how?  If there is no sticker and its more than again "allowed" do they leave it there to stink and attract the animals or is it simply picked up without penalty? 

If I was still living there I would be at one of those public meetings asking these questions for sure....In theory maybe a good idea however I think in practallity.......an Epic Fail

Cheers,

[trussell]

Perhaps I'm missing something, but I don't really understand how the "there's going to be an increase in littering" argument.  Very few municipalities in Vermont coordinate trash pickup and I don't see the state littered with bags of trash along the roads.  Granted there's always litter, but does our town really have such a high number of residents that would resort to illegal dumping?  Are we really stuck in that mindset?

[Stand Alone Defense]

Perhaps I'm missing something, but I don't really understand how the "there's going to be an increase in littering" argument.  Very few municipalities in Vermont coordinate trash pickup and I don't see the state littered with bags of trash along the roads.  Granted there's always litter, but does our town really have such a high number of residents that would resort to illegal dumping?  Are we really stuck in that mindset?

Trevor you would be surprised how big of an issue illegal dumping is.... Our town has the fortunate scenario where our trash is in our taxes so people can't skirt paying for trash removal.  Justin's scenario happens ALL the time in Fairfax... his road, Wheezy way, Rounds Rd are a few others that have this problem.  You think those people that drop off their trash are going to go back and pick it up if it isn't taken?  I agree with Justin, once again our elected officials show their intelligence with passing this law.   

[mirjo]

Perhaps a better legislative measure would be to have each municipality contract trash removal, such as Fairfax does, so residents aren't  having to do it and therefore "illegally dumping" wouldn't ever be an issue--anywhere. People unfortunately do tend to react with emotions rather than with thought. I believe there is only one dump site left in the state and it's filling rapidly. Act 148 is designed to vastly reduce the amount of trash people throw out and get them to recycle instead--a pain to change habits, for sure, but certainly not a stupid concept. Recycling can reduce the amount of trash going out considerably.

Coming up is mandatory composting--everyone will be expected to recycle food scraps and lawn clippings/leaves/etc.  Larger restaurants started last year, the next level this year  and so on. I think household scraps are due to take affect in 2017. The goal is to recycle as much as possible to keep a little as possible from going into the landfill. Burning trash (for those so inclined) is toxic. There are any number of chemicals in the plastic & containers food etc comes in that are released when burned. Such behavior demonstrates a childish, ignorant mindset.

[tfence]

I am sorry, I pay enough in taxes to have this added tax put on to my budget. I will continue to put out the trash as I always have and if it does not get picked up it will stay. I am sure the tourists that pass through the village will like this. What's next  (and there will be a next) parents will have to pay for bussing then school supplies, then sports, then excise tax for driving on the road. These are all the reasons I left Mass. Taking items out of the town and school budget and forcing the residents to pay for it is a tax increase. They need to be voted on.

[lena6]

You would be surprised at the number of people that bring trash over to the school dumpster.

[mirjo]

When a price tag is attached to something, it usually gets people talking and generally changes their behavior to avoid paying--at least that's the thought process & the hope, because no one likes to pay more for anything if they don't have to--why would you? I think people who recycle will be fine and those who don't will want to start. I don't think the idea is really for people to pay to heap on the garbage--they really want everyone to recycle everything that can possibly be recycled/reused/reduced and eliminate trash entirely--though that's likely impossible, but I think it's the goal.

Hopefully no animals get to your garbage tfence, there is still plenty of wildlife roaming around Fairfax--I don't think it will be the tourists going through that will care, so much as your neighbors, when it's strewn all over and smells! (And rotting food draws flies, which lay eggs....)

[mrome]

Come on folks. Don't overreact without knowing the facts, which we don't have yet. The info that was provided is that one 60-gallon bag per pickup is being considered as the standard. That is a HUGE contractor size bag per week. I do not see anything at all unreasonable about that as a departure point to start the discussion. The first post noted that discussion was starting and public meetings will follow. Why not take a look at what you put in the trash for a few weeks and see if one 60-gallon bag is reasonable or not?

Margo