People sounded off about a change in how they pay for trash disposal in Middletown.
It comes as the city tries to address concerns with the program that’s now been underway for a couple of months.
“There are a lot of issues with fees,” Doug Pierce, of Middletown, said.
On Monday, there were mixed reviews as people gathered to weigh in on a trash program rolled out in Middletown.
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“It’s been going fine. I have a family of five and we go through one bag a week,” Sigrid Atherton, of Middletown, said.
In the city’s sanitation district, people now pay based on what they throw out - buying special orange bags for trash and green for food scraps. The pilot program started in November.
“We’re doing good. We’ve had a 75% participation,” Middletown Public Works Director Chris Holden said.
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City staff heard concerns including about how the system was started up and the cost of the bags.
Bills were cut by more than a $100 a year, though some worry that savings meant to cover buying bags is not being passed on to people who rent.
“We will take everyone’s ideas and suggestions and see what we can do to make improvements to the program,” Holden said.
This comes as it’s becoming harder and more expensive to dispose of trash in the state.
Middletown hopes making this switch helps slow rising costs and cuts down on the amount of trash thrown out including with better recycling and separating food scraps.
“We are running out of space to put it. So we all have to make some change,” Valerie Riesbeck, of Middletown, said.
We’re told communities that are already doing it elsewhere have seen big reductions in trash. Right now, this is a one-year pilot program and then the city will decide how to go forward.
