East Longmeadow Nears New Bulk Trash Plan

(East Longmeadow, MA) The East Longmeadow Board of Health informed their residents that the Town would be dramatically changing the way bulk trash has been collected in the Town.

The Board of Health has voted to accept the recommendations of the Town’s Solid Waste Advisory Team (SWAT) to move towards a new ‘pay as you throw’ system that will charge residents for the cost of removing the items and the residents will be asked to make an appointment to have their bulk items removed. The program will continue to have curbside pickup, a feature that has been very popular with the residents, especially our senior citizens.

“Simply stated, the Town does not have the money to pay for this program this year,” said Gary DeLisle, Chairman of the Board of Health. “The program, as run last year, cost us in excess of $50,000. In the past, we had been able to pay for this program out of grant money from the state. Sadly, these grant programs have been curtailed this year and the money is not there to pay for the program.”

While the Board of Health and SWAT Committee acknowledge there is bound to be many disappointed residents, they want to remind residents that many items thrown out in last year’s bulk pickup are items that can be disposed of in their regular trash. “Many people in Town had saved items like tires and lumber for the bulk pickup. We have provisions to accept these materials in regular trash,” said Jodi O’Brien, Chairman of the SWAT Committee. “The Town Report is a useful guide in learning more about our Town’s trash service and it even explains what bulk items can be disposed of at our Transfer Station on Somers Road.”

“While some of the details still need to be coordinated between the Town and Waste Management, we are optimistic that this will prove to be a good solution; one that balances the needs of the community while at the same time recognizing that the town budget cannot absorb the cost of this service.,” said John M. Claffey, member of the Board of Health.

Copies of the trash schedule and guidelines are available on the Town’s website at www.eastlongmeadow.org or in the Selectmen’s Office in Town Hall.

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