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Date: 7/19/2019
CHICOPEE – The disposal of trash in the city may become a key talking point in the mayoral race.
There has been plenty of buzz on social media about the closing of the landfill used by the city and changes in how some trash is to be disposed of.
The city announced, “The Chicopee Landfill closed on June 30, 2019, and on July 2, 2019, the new recycling drop off center, at the Baskin Drive DPW Headquarters, will open for resident drop-off. Permits are still required to use this drop-off center. Chicopee residents have been sent information regarding the new recycling center through mailings, posted online, and it can also be found on the city’s website.”
The announcement continued, “The new drop-off center will accept recyclable items that cannot go in the green curbside Recycle Cart. However, bulk trash, bulk waste, and construction/demolition waste must be brought to private disposal sites. To find site locations, register online, or to view the acceptable items list and pricing, visit www.chicopeema.gov/815.”
City Councilor Joel McAuliffe has proposed a new program that would allow city residents to pay a fee for another of the small toters designed to hold non-recyclable garbage.
The Chicopee Herald asked the three mayoral candidates about their plans to address the issue of trash disposal.
City Councilor John Vieau said, “The City of Chicopee has been preparing for the closing of the landfill for several years. Knowing that this day was approaching, the City developed a comprehensive plan of action. There was a balance that needed to be achieved. While residents would expect the same or similar level of service, we would be losing $1,000,000 in hosting fees and our tipping fees would essentially double. We were lucky to have Elizabeth Botelho, the superintendent of The Department of Public Works and consultant, Stanley Kulig focused on the tasks of providing the same level of curbside pickup and disposal services while minimizing the financial impact to the residents/taxpayers.
“Over the past two years, the City has been working to cut expenses by incentivizing recycling, and reducing waste. The City received a grant for the purchase of the 35 gallon trash barrels with ‘pay as you go’ yellow bags for overflow. Each household is allowed 35 gallons of trash removal without an additional charge and each household received a 35-gallon trash barrel for household waste at no charge. The intent of the yellow bags is to create a system where those who generate larger amounts of curbside waste are responsible for the removal. The program has and continues to meet our goals by providing the same level of service and incentivize recycling. Bulk waste/construction and demo waste now have to go to private disposal sites and [be] paid for.
“Large items will now be brought to Baskin Drive instead of the dump. Our drop-off site at DPW will take brush and yard waste and certain recyclables that can’t go in the green curbside cart such as mattresses, tires, TVs/monitors are pay items. Free items include books, textiles, scrap metal, block Styrofoam, rigid plastics, pellet bags, and small electronics. Yard waste will continue to be collected in paper bags curbside. This will not reduce services to our residents.
“Prior to the new program, the city averaged roughly 13,000 tons of trash annually. The program has reduced our annual tonnage by nearly 3,000 tons, which is a significant savings. In addition to the reduction in tonnage, the yellow bag program is generating approximately $250,000 a year in sales. Since the commencement of the yellow bag program, we have received gross revenue of just over $700,000. This has offset the loss in hosting revenue. Since closing the landfill, the City has been able to lock in a reasonable tipping fee of $75/ton, a rate on par with other communities in the area.
“Another major component of the plan is the newer automated collection system, which is reducing labor costs. Through attrition, the intent is to reduce the number of city employees in the sanitation department, ultimately saving in overall costs. The automated collection system allows the city to provide the same level of service more efficiently but effectively.
“Finally, the city instituted the recycling of fabrics with the pink bag program which further reduced waste and reduced tonnage. With textile recycling, we have a two-pronged approach: textile boxes at various municipal locations for drop-off, and, the pink bag curbside pickup program. Two convenient ways to recycle textiles.
“While we do not receive a large financial return on recycling, the savings in tonnage fees is significant. We will continue to monitor the programs with the goal of boosting recycling efforts, helping the environment and increasing savings.
“The city’s incentivizing of recycling along with our pay as you go yellow bag program and fabrics pink bag program, along with automated curb side pickup have collectively helped to offset the increase in tipping fees without a reduction in service.”
Joe Morissette said, “The closing of our landfill creates a multitude of issues for our city. I don’t think pointing fingers, trying to place blame is helpful at all. Chicopee needs to explore a Waste-to-Energy (WTE) plant. We have the real estate and the revenue and energy it would make Chicopee a leader in municipal solid waste (MSW).
“There are seven WTE facilities in Massachusetts alone. An exploratory committee needs to be appointed and we need to research this option soon. This is not a matter of if, but when. To stay economically viable, without impacting our already burdened tax base, we need to engage a forward thinking mindset.
“The closing of the dump is symptomatic of many things in this city. We often kick the can down the road and refuse to address things until the last second. That’s why our residents are stuck with small trash bins and additional costs for excess trash. As mayor I’ll work to give residents more options for trash, such as adding additional bins.”
Angela Breault-Klusman wrote, “Trash is an ongoing problem in the city of Chicopee especially now that the dump is closed! I believe if we give everyone an extra trash barrel and also recycle more, things will get better. However I would love to bring waste to energy, granted it will not save us money right now but in the long run it will save our children, grandchildren and will also help bring taxes to a low! Because when bringing waste to energy we can have the ability to also recycle tires and use them for potholes and other things
“You do not need and extra recycling barrel that if you have recycle over flow you can use a box, tote, plastic container, etc. because people have asked me for an extra barrel and I have told them that and they did not know that so some didn’t realize you could do that.”