Windham to convert to automated trash removal

By Ed Pierce

After months of negotiation and discussion with Casella Waste Systems, also known as Pine Tree Waste, the basic framework for an agreement to convert Windham to automated trash removal has been reached.

Within the next year, the Town of Windham will be converting
to an automated trash collection system with residences
issued new carts for garbage and recycling. As a result, the
blue bags required for the Pay As You Throw refuse system
will be eliminated. PHOTO BY ED PIERCE 

Although some contractual details have yet to be worked out, members of the Windham Town Council voted unanimously at a meeting on Oct. 25 to move ahead with the proposal. It means that by next fall, Windham residents will no longer use the Pay As You Throw (PAYT) system, eliminating the purchase of blue bags, and switching to a cart system with trash picked-up curbside by a driver using an automated retrieval system.

Under the current system, trash and recyclables are manually collected at the roadside which requires a driver and a laborer and services about 5,400 stops in the town.

Windham Town Manager Barry Tibbetts told councilors that the proposed contract allows flexibility for the town to either purchase trash carts from Casella or to join in an initiative with other nearby towns to purchase receptacles separately and save money by purchasing them in bulk. Tibbetts said Windham’s 2022-2023 budget included $600,000 funding for a trash cart purchase for residents.

Homes in Windham would be issued two carts, one for trash and the other for recycling. The new contract calls for residential pick-up service scheduled once a week Monday through Thursday using designated routes and should a pick-up fall on a legal holiday or on a storm day, the schedule would be pushed back one day.

Tibbetts said he’s had discussions with the towns of Falmouth and North Yarmouth to share cart maintenance service as those towns are also converting to automated trash pick-up.

During the meeting, several councilors asked about trash removal for some roads in Windham that Pine Tree Waste does not travel on currently.

Casella Market Manager Chris McHale said all routes in Windham will be evaluated before the new system is implemented.

McHale said Casella may purchase and deploy a smaller trash truck to service roads not accessible by the new automated trash vehicle. He stressed that the company intends to work with residents to provide the best service possible, but because of rising operational costs and advances in technology, the trash removal industry is converting to automated systems and can no longer continue to provide a similar system as currently used in Windham.

“This makes for a more efficient and safer way for collecting trash,” McHale said.

Tibbetts said once a final agreement between Casella and the town is reached, councilors will be able to approve the full contractual terms, but the council needed to vote now to endorse the automated system to allow Casella to obtain trucks to service Windham.

“The initial contract will be for five years from July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2028,” Tibbetts said. “The town may choose to renew the contract for an additional five-year period with six months advance notice to Casella at that time.”

Councilor David Nadeau reminded the council that under Windham current Pay As You Throw trash bag program, users purchase bags to be picked up by the refuse collectors and that the town collected about $763,000 in revenue from that system alone in 2021.

Not having the PAYT system would mean losing that revenue and increased tipping fees incurred by the town for EcoMaine if residents place improperly bagged waste items in carts that is picked up when the trash truck operator is unable to see what is in the cart below the top. Windham blue trash bags are sold at 15 different locations in town and priced at $13.50 for either ten 13-gallon bags or five 30-gallon bags.

Nadeau said not having the PAYT system would decrease town revenue generated by the trash collection method and would raise the town mil rate.

Tibbetts showed councilors a graphic that eliminating the PAYT system would put Windham’s mil rate at 11.91, which would remain the lowest of all surrounding communities.

He said once the new system is implemented and operational, residents possessing blue bags would be able to sell unused bags back to the town.

Councilors voted unanimously to endorse conversion to the new automated system but reserved the right to review contract particulars including fuel and operational costs before authorizing a new contract with Casella. <