The fees are scheduled to go into effect on July 2.
LUDLOW -- The Board of Public Works has voted to charge for pickup of more than one 35-gallon container of trash per week, DPW Director Paul Dzubek said.
The new charges will take effect July 2, and after the first bag of trash, only trash in the regulation purple trash bags will be collected.
Beginning July 2, anyone who wants to dispose of more than one 35-gallon container of trash can purchase a packet of five bags for $8.75, or pay $1.75 per bag.
The 33-gallon bags are designed to hold about 40 pounds of waste.
The town of Ludlow bags are available at various retail locations in town. There is no store markup or tax collected on the bags.
At the same time the DPW is introducing single stream recycling, Dzubek said.
A 35-gallon bag of recycled materials will be collected weekly at the same time as the regular trash pickup. Free blue bins and recycling decals will be available at the DPW to help with recycling. There is no limit on the amount of recycled materials that will be collected.
Waste Management of Westboro will collect both trash and recycling materials. Both will be collected weekly.
Under the new single stream recycling, paper, cardboard, bottles and cans can all be placed in the same container. Residents no longer have to separate paper products from bottles and cans. Recyclables will be collected every week.
Dzubek said that last year the town spent $1.2 million to collect and dispose of 6,800 tons of trash.
He said the fee for trash bags is being implemented to slow the rise of trash disposal costs.
Otherwise, the costs keep going up, Dzubek said.
“We’re trying to control costs,” Dzubek said. “Last year property taxes skyrocketed, and people complained.”
If people recycle more it will slow the rise of trash disposal costs at the incineration plant at Bondi’s Island, Dzubek said.
Dzubek said he realizes families with children have more trash and may pay more for additional bags. Some families may choose to hire a private contractor to pick up their trash, he said.
“Just like it costs more to buy six hamburgers, instead of two,” he said.
He said senior citizens have complained that if taxes keep rising, they will no longer be able to stay in their homes because they can’t afford the taxes.
“This should help keep taxes from rising,” Dzubek said.
He said the DPW is getting many calls asking about the changes.
