Video: Solid Waste Task Force Hears from Haulers - North Street Neighborhood Association

Here is a blip.tv video of the 12/20/10 meeting of Northampton’s Solid Waste Reduction and Management Task Force. This video is 2 hours 16 minutes long, and is complete except for brief gaps for camera changeover around the one and two hour marks. The recording was made by Craig Odgers of Water Not Waste.

Here is the meeting agenda:

Public Comment
Review/Acceptance of 12/06/10 Minutes
Presentation and Q&A with Waste and Recycling Haulers
Review Brainstorming items, add items, prioritize
Review decision-making flow chart, timetable
Future Agenda items
Meeting location, dates

Meeting minutes, agendas and handouts for the Task Force are available here. The Task Force has also launched an RSS feed to provide news and information.

From the minutes of the 12/6/10 meeting of the Task Force (PDF):

T. Culhane led the discussion about a handout entitled “Northampton Post-Landfill Examples of Solid Waste Collection Alternatives”. He said that Option #1 [“City Transfer Station(s) and Private Subscription Haulers”] represents a status quo minus the landfill operation. In this scenario, private haulers would continue to serve residents, and the rest of the population would use a transfer station operated by the City. He noted that without the landfill’s subsidies it would be unlikely that the City could afford to operate both the Locust Street and Landfill sites, and these sites are not equivalent. Maintaining a residential drop-off facility only at the DPW yard would not be an option. He said that developing the MassHighway site (which is adjacent to the DPW yard) for this purpose might cost upwards of $1 million.

T. Culhane continued to explain that Option #2 [“Citywide Curbside Collection Only”} would likely result in a 50% savings for residents who currently have subscription services. He pointed out the City is not required to provide drop-off facilities for residents who opt out of the curbside program, and residents could continue to contract with subscription haulers. A. Miller said that Agawam uses this curbside-only approach: everything is picked up at the curb using a single hauler system. W. Foxmyn asked if this option might accommodate multiple haulers. K. Bouquillon said that his could be achieved with a variety of franchise models.