AMHERST — Long-awaited changes to the town’s trash and recycling system, which could embed a pay-as-you-throw system and universal composting into a rewritten trash hauler bylaw, will be studied by a consultant over the winter.
More than a year after the Town Council asked Town Manager Paul Bockelman to seek requests for proposals from waste haulers, in anticipation of revisions to the general bylaw known as “Refuse Collection and Recyclable Materials,” a consultant from Pioneer Valley Planning Commission will be drafting the language for the bylaw and handling outreach to the community.
Eric Weiss, PVPC’s director of economic and municipal collaboration, told the Town Services and Outreach Committee at a Dec. 4 meeting that, working with Bockelman, he hopes to have the project completed by April 1.
His work will include determining where Amherst is with its waste, recycling and composting efforts, and examining previous requests for proposals from waste haulers.
“The idea here is to really characterize where you are at so we can give a direction for where you want to go,” Weiss said.
In moving toward practices such as a pay-as-you-throw system, which he said is a great incentive, Amherst would have to provide various options and services to residents.
“This needs to be well crafted, this needs to be something that you can use as a guide to move yourself forward, and not just a report that sits on the desk,” Weiss said.
Councilors have sought incentives for households to cut the amount of garbage they throw out, which they see as reducing Amherst’s dependence on landfills and incinerators and lower greenhouse gas emissions. Currently, USA Waste and Recycling is the only company licensed by the town for residential service, though other companies service apartment complexes and businesses.
Under the anticipated bylaw changes, the town would negotiate and contract with one or more waste haulers on behalf of residents for collection of their household trash, unlimited recyclables and compostables, establish a robust pay-as-you-throw fee structure and require curbside composting.
Weiss said his work would include looking beyond what waste haulers can do, though he would help draft a request for proposal to gauge interest.
Bockelman said the idea is to have the revised bylaw be a check-in point with the Town Council prior to starting any effort to seek bids through a so-called RFP process.
The April 1 deadline for the work to be complete ensures that if there are any budgetary implications from the changes, these can be included in the town’s fiscal year 2027 budget, Bockelman said.
Former councilor Darcy DuMont, speaking for the community group Zero Waste Amherst, said its preference is for language in the bylaw to target local waste haulers with a well-crafted program that would reduce waste, lower costs and reduce the impact on the climate.
“Currently, we throw out twice as much as we would under this proposal,” DuMont said.
In the first phase, each household would get three carts, one each for trash, for recycling and for compostables, and pay-as-you-throw would be implemented.
In the second phase, businesses, schools and apartment complexes would be added.
Councilors who serve on the council committee, like District 4 Councilor Jennifer Taub, wondered if there would be grant money available to implement whatever changes come from a new program.
Even if haulers are hired by the town, Taub said it’s given that the transfer station would remain in place on Belchertown Road.
District 5 Councilor Bob Hegner, too, said that it’s important to keep the transfer station open. He suggested that concerns he hears is that bears might get into recycling and food waste left on the curb.
Hegner said the important thing is to make sure that costs are reduced costs, and the town is not adding more of a burden to residents. “That’s a big issue with a lot of people in town,” he said.