Residents balk at SMART trash plan

TORRINGTON — Mayor Elinor Carbone recently revealed her plans to introduce the “Save Money And Reduce Trash” program, an initiative that rewards municipalities for reducing the quantity of waste that ends up in the garbage can. If done properly, cities and towns can save enough money annually to pay for garbage disposal, thereby reducing taxes.

But during Monday night’s public information meeting, many members of a standing-room-only crowd of residents were against the SMART idea, calling it a new tax.

It’s not clear whether supporters of the proposed trash reduction program will convince homeowners and tenants that the initiative will save them money. SMART is projected to save enough money annually to cover the cost of trash disposal.

Kristen Brown, of Waste Zero, a consultant hired by the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to implement the SMART program in Connecticut, spoke on its benefits at the meeting. “There is a value in being accountable for our own trash,” she said.

Public Works Director Jerry Rollett said the SMART program would reduce the cost of waste disposal for the city by $2 million a year. During the hearing, he told residents that in 1996, the cost to dispose of waste was $30 a ton.

It is now $68 a ton, and Rollett said the cost will not decrease in the coming years.

“There is a lot of passion, but not logic,” said resident Bob Demallie at the meeting. “It rewards those who recycle.” He said he supports the program, but suggested the city hold a referendum on the program after one year of operation.

The public’s negative response prompted Mayor Elinor Carbone Tuesday morning to delay a planned vote by the city council, scheduled for May 7. Instead,

the next step for the proposed program will be a joint meeting of the board of finance and the council, Carbone said.

“This is an emotional issue. Some in the audience (on Monday) were worked up to a frenzy,” Carbone noted.

Several residents voiced concerns at the meeting about someone illegally dumping garbage into their trash bins to avoid following the new program’s guidelines. Others were worried about the government going through trash bags to see if residents are in compliance with the proposed program.

“It’s irrational,” Carbone said. “The city government won’t dig through any garbage for any reason.”

However, Carbone said she understood that the information on enforcement wasn’t clear enough. “I don’t want to be punitive. There will not be an onerous fine (for non-compliance),” she said.

A key issue of concern for residents is the proposed requirement of the SMART program that residents purchase special garbage bags at local stores. The bags would range in size from 8 to 33 gallons, with the largest bag costing $2.70 and the smallest priced at $1.20.

The reasoning behind the requirement to use special bags that cost more than standard trash bags is simple: money. Residents are likely to throw away less trash each week if the cost of the bag is higher. It’s an incentive to recycle more items and throw less garbage into the green trash bins.

Experts say most families will use only one large trash bag a week.

On Tuesday, Carbone said she is now considering a one-year pilot program for the SMART initiative. She said at that point, the city would be able to measure whether the program reduced the cost of waste disposal.

Leslie Hutchison / Hearst Connecticut Media Resident Mike Driscoll, at the podium, right, weighs in on the proposed trash reduction program, SMART, during a meeting on Tuesday at Torrington City Hall.

Leslie Hutchison / Hearst Connecticut Media Special garbage bags would be required for a proposed trash reduction program called SMART.