The first thing we really need

The first thing we really need is a date so we can build you a schedule,” said Conlow. “There’s a lot of confusion out there. Some residents are assuming we’re already doing single-stream recycling and separating their trash.

At the suggestion of Wardwell, the infrastructure committee has given the Public Works Department permission to request bids for a promotional and educational ad campaign for pay-as-you-throw.

“We’ve presented an initial budget on what it may look like with a half year of our current program and half a year of single-stream PAYT,” Wardwell said.

The program has been under serious discussion for the better part of two years, but as it gets closer and closer to official implementation, many details remain to be ironed out.
“I would think by mid-August or early September we’d have final word on how and when to proceed,” said Hughes.

While Bangor conducted no feasibility study or official survey of residents or other municipalities using pay-as-you-throw and similar programs, Wardwell said city officials have been busy gathering information on existing programs from Brunswick to Brewer. Brewer officials did conduct a study and also evaluated recycling companies before implementing single-stream recycling and pay-as-you-throw.

“We value Brewer’s input, but we’ve gotten a lot of [other] localities’ input as well,” said Wardwell. “We’ve done a lot of research and called around to a lot of different communities.”
What is missing is significant public feedback.

“We’’re not hearing a lot of input from the community. We did have three resident listening sessions this year in March, April and May, but we only had maybe 30 people show up in all,” said Wardwell. “I don’t think it’ll be a hot-button issue until people have to start paying for it.”

The infrastructure committee will discuss implementation and may vote on recommendation to the full council at its next meeting at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 2.