People in Middletown are raising concerns about the city’s new trash collection process.
While the city calls it a potential money-saver, some homeowners are skeptical about how the program works.
“Just as technology improves, healthcare systems change, the way we manage our trash also has to change,” Kim O’Rourke, Middletown’s recycling coordinator, said.
The city of Middletown is moving forward with a new trash collection process in the sanitation district - small green bags for food scraps and all other trash in orange bags. The goal is to limit waste in landfills.
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“We expect an increase in recycling, which we have been stagnant with our recycling for decades,” O’Rourke said.
She said the specific bags cost more upfront, but an average household could save more than $100 annually, going from a flat rate to a rate based on how much trash is collected.
“Collectively we’ll save money and individually, you could save money as well,” she said.
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The sanitation district serves 2,500 homes and businesses in Middletown and some homeowners aren’t sold on the change.
“It’s an unfair system compared to the 90% of the city that is not affected by this,” Rick Siena, of Middletown, said.
Their concerns, which were raised during a sanitation commission meeting Tuesday, include potential fines for non-compliance and whether money will really be saved.
“Get out of the trash business and we don’t have to worry about all this expense. Let the private haulers so what they do,” Siena said.
Others feel there needed to be more discussion before the program went forward.
“There wasn’t anything that was said. It wasn’t communicated correctly to the public,” Doug Pierce, of Middletown, said.
Middletown Mayor Ben Florsheim said he’s aware kinks need to be worked out.
“Our job now is to make sure as we make this into a public service, a public utility, we are being clear and transparent and most importantly listening to the feedback and implementing it in how we administer the program,” he said.
The Department of Public Works said they are making a committee consisting of homeowners in the district to help work out the issues in this program.
