Paying for Special Garbage Bags "Stinks"

Trash pickup would look different in East Hartford if the town implements a plan to have residents pay for special trash bags to place out on trash day.

"I believe this whole process is garbage," Republican Town Council Member Eric Thompson said.

Thompson is one of several town council members and residents who questioned the need for the "Pay As You Throw" program during a special meeting Monday night to hear about the proposal.

The program would require residents to buy special bags from local retailers. A 33-gallon bag would cost $2, a 14-gallon bag would be $1.25 and an 8-gallon bag would cost 63 cents.

"I think it's a big mistake to start charging the citizens of East Hartford for another program that they basically don't want,"  resident David Weaver said.

George Barrow, of East Hartford, heard about the proposal and went to the meeting to learn more.

"Number one, what catches my attention is the environmental thing," Barrow said.

Recycling rates would go up, according to WasteZero, the company that hopes to administer the program.

WasteZero guarantees that the town would make $1.2 million from bag sales and estimates the town would save about $511,000 by carting less trash to the incinerator.

But some residents say the town should educate, not mandate.

"If you just push the recycle program, that in itself will bring down your tonnage of trash that you're throwing away, which will save them money," said Barrow.

"Get people back into recycling," resident Ken Sayers suggested."But for us to start paying for bags, especially when a lot of us are already recycling bags that we get from the grocery stores, then something's wrong."

The town council is still getting input about the program. No date has been set for the town council to vote on the idea.

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