Grappling with tighter budget numbers year after year and aiming to become an even "greener" community, several members of Newton's Board of Aldermen requested last week the city begin to look into a "pay as you throw" (PAYT) trash program. 

With recycling rates in the city surpassing 50 percent in fiscal 2010, Ald. Amy Mah Sangiolo said the city has "gone a long way" in reducing the amount of trash it produces. 

"I think the pay as you throw system could improve that situation," Sangiolo said at last Thursday's budget deliberation meeting.

Currently, solid waste management makes up about 35 percent of the Public Works budget. In fiscal 2012, the solid waste budget saw a 4 percent increase in expenses and a 3 percent increase in budget overall. 

The program has been considered by the city in the past, including a June 2008 presentation by then DPW Commissioner Tom Daley. To view Daley's presentation, check out our media section to the right.

According to a November 2010 map created by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, 53 municipalities in the state had curbside PAYT programs and another 79 municipalities had drop-off services. In the immediate area, Needham is the closest community with drop-off PAYT program and Natick is the closest with the curbside pick-up PAYT. To view the map, check out our photo/media section to the right.

Ald. Charlie Shapiro disagreed with the idea, though, saying that it eliminates a service Newton residents have come to expect.

"People pay an awful lot of taxes here," Shapiro said at last Thursday's meeting. "When you pay taxes here in Newton, there needs to be some basic level of services."

Initially, several aldermen signed on to a resolution requesting the mayor implement a PAYT program for the upcoming fiscal year. However, Ald. Sydra Schnipper pointed out that a PAYT program will take some planning and could not be implemented in just six weeks.

"Change does not happen that quickly," Schnipper said, reminding the board that the "incredibly successful" automated trash program currently used in the city took three and a half years to to approve.

Schnipper, who chairs the city's Solid Waste Commission, said she supports the program but that it will require extensive board discussion, public hearings and campaigns to get residents on board.

Agreeing that the program will take time to implement, the aldermen who initially docketed the PAYT resolution said they'd like to look into a short-term goal for the program in fiscal 2012 that could put it on the path to approval. The board is expected to continue this discussion tonight along with the Public Works budget,  water/sewer rates, several proposed DPW fees and remaining department budgets.The meeting begins at 7:45 p.m. in the Aldermanic Chamber at City Hall. 

Here are some major points from a MassDEP fact sheet on PAYT programs:

To view the full fact sheet, check out our media section above for photos and .pdfs.

• PAYT programs can help with increased recycling and waste reduction, thereby reducing costs tied to trash disposal. A PAYT program can also improve air quality, extend the life of landfills and reduce the need for new disposal facilities. 

• There are several different forms of PAYT programs including imprinted trash bags available at local stores, stickers that residents purchase to place on cans/bags or an imprinted barrel/wheeled cart.

• PAYT programs can create a hardship for low-income residents, so cities and towns are encouraged to look into exemptions or reduced rates for those residents.

• Increased levels of illegal dumping is another concern that comes along with PAYT, however, the DEP says studies have shown that illegal dumping is not a problem in most PAYT communities. 

• There are higher administrative costs to go along with the implementation of the program, however, the DEP says those costs are usually made up in the long run with reduced waste disposal and increased recycling.

• The PAYT programs usually involve a two-tiered pricing system, the DEP says. The program combines a flat fee that covers revenue stability for the municipal program and a unit-based fee as a financial incentive for residents to recycle and compost more.