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Waste Stream Taskforce

The Town of Boxford is beginning a new automated curbside trash and recycling collection program with G. Mello Disposal Corp. starting on July 1, 2024

What you need to know:

  • Every household that does not opt out of the program by the beginning of June will receive one Town-owned 65-gallon trash container and one Town-owned 95-gallon recycling container

    • If you would like to opt out of the program, please complete this Google Form, contact the Health Department at (978) 887-2875, or email Assistant Town Administrator Brendan Sweeney at BSweeney@BoxfordMA.gov. 

  • Trash will be collected weekly (every week), recycling will be collected bi-weekly (every other week)

    • Unused trash stickers will be eligible to be "bought back" by the Town at a later time in 2024

  • Trash stickers will no longer be necessary after July 1st

  • In order to participate in the program, you must pay the $175 annual user fee by June 21st

    • This pays for your use of the Town-owned 65-gallon trash container for one year. Curbside collection of recycling using the Town-owned 95-gallon recycling container is free of charge

    • You will be able to pay the fee online or in-person at the Health Department window in Town Hall (7A Spofford Road) beginning on May 15th

  • Households are able to request up to two additional 65-gallon trash containers and one additional 95-gallon recycling container, though doing so comes with an additional fee

    • $175 annual fee for each additional 65-gallon trash container (maximum of two)

    • $85 one-time fee for an additional 95-gallon recycling container (maximum of one)

  • Standardized, 33-gallon “overflow” trash bags will be available for purchase at Town Hall for $6/bag (you must purchase 5 at a time).

  • Recycling of cardboard will now be free for residents at the Town Recycling Center (7 Spofford Road)

You can click on this link for a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

There was a Public Information Session on Wednesday, April 24th at Town Hall that was also recorded by BCATv. You can watch the recording of the presentation by viewing the video at the bottom of this webpage or by going to the BCATv website through this link. Click here to view the slides from the presentation.

Residents can also view the BCATv recording of the March 11th Select Board presentation that summarizes the new program.

If you would like a a comprehensive overview of the process undertaken by the Waste Stream Task Force, please review the March 8, 2024 Report of the Waste Stream Task Force. Additional information from the Town regarding the implementation of the new curbside trash and recycling program will be forthcoming in the near future.

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In the Summer of 2022, the Waste Stream Task Force (WSTF) was convened on behalf of the Board of Health (BOH) to review the Town’s expiring five-year contract with Waste Management and make recommendations to the BOH regarding how best to proceed. The WSTF is made up by representatives of the BOH, Select Board, Finance Committee, Recycling Committee, and Town Administrator’s office.

The WSTF met numerous times between June - December 2022 before making it's initial recommendations to the BOH, which are captured in this December 21, 2022 letter. Notably, the recommendations at that time included a switch to an automated collection system.

Leading up to 2023 Annual Town Meeting in May, the Town was anticipating signing a new five-year contract with Waste Management. However, negotiations between the Town and Waste Management broke down late in the process due to unforeseen cost increases described in this May 9th memorandum. Ultimately, the Town decided to accept a one-year extension with Waste Management under the current manual collection system.

In the summer of 2023, the WSTF resumed meeting with the goal of securing a new long-term contract for the Town beginning in July 2024. The WSTF met frequently in the fall of 2023, and as part of their discussion and analysis the WSTF:

Coming out of their fall 2023 meetings, the WSTF made the recommendation to seek a new five-year contract with a hauler that had both a reputation for outstanding customer service and the ability to meet the following conditions:

  • Implement an automated collection system, which would both be more efficient and save costs for the hauler, providing cost and service benefits to the Town; and
  • Bi-weekly collection of recycling, which would result in significant savings for the Town and residents.

While the Town’s current hauler, Waste Management, submitted a competitive offer adhering to the above conditions, the WSTF ultimately decided to enter into an agreement with a new hauler, G. Mello Disposal Corp., which is based locally out of Georgetown. G. Mello’s offer was the most advantageous to the Town financially, and their customer service was lauded by their current municipal clients in the region. The financial details of the proposal are shown in the March 8, 2024 Report of the Waste Stream Task Force.

 

Trash and Recycling Information Meeting 4/24/24