Controversy continues to surround Middletown’s new trash program. Neighbors still aren’t happy with the way it’s being rolled out. The city said it’s working to hammer out any issues.
As Middletown moves forward with its new trash collection program, some neighbors are frustrated.
“We have five people in our house. It costs me less to cancel the city sanitation. I did that,” Rick Siena, of Middletown, said.
They showed up at a common council meeting Tuesday evening to voice concerns about having to buy specific green bags for food waste and orange bags for all other trash.
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The city said this is meant to reduce food waste in landfills and the costs of the bags are part of the disposal fee. Some say it’s hurting lower income families and fear potential fines.
“The program is currently administered in a way that only produces equality at the expense of social justice,” Yuri Branzburg, of Middletown, said.
Others, however, support the program, saying it needs time to kick into gear.
“Behavioral change is difficult. It requires people to stretch and use their imaginations and give the people who are proposing the behavioral change the benefit of the doubt,” Krishna Winston, of Middletown, said.
Middletown Mayor Ben Florsheim said the program has seen a 75% participation rate and any fines would require an ordinance to be adopted, but he hopes there's no need for that.
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“Our sincere goal is to be able to implement this program fully without having to resort to that,” he said.
Last month, city leaders decided to make trash bags free for 90 days as a way to help. The mayor said the city is taking things slow.
“The complexity is part of the reason why this issue is so important and quite frankly, it’s part of the reason why action on it has been deferred,” Florsheim said.
The city said there will be a subcommittee meeting on Monday evening at the Russell Library at 6 p.m. to answer questions and listen to any potential issues. The public is encouraged to attend.
