AMHERST — Incentives for households to cut the amount of garbage they throw out, helping to reduce Amherst’s dependence on landfills and incinerators and lowering greenhouse gas emissions, is the aim of a rewritten trash hauler bylaw being developed by town officials.

The Town Council voted unanimously at its Sept. 9 meeting to ask Town Manager Paul Bockelman to seek requests for proposals from waste haulers in anticipation of revisions to the general bylaw known as “Refuse Collection and Recyclable Materials.”

Under the anticipated bylaw changes, the town would negotiate and contract with one or more waste haulers on behalf of residents for collection of their household trash, unlimited recyclables and compostables, establish a robust pay-as-you-throw fee structure, and require curbside composting.

But even though councilors endorsed the measure following about two hours of discussion, it comes with an expectation that, before the town manager puts out a request for proposals, the town will need to hire a consultant to draft the bylaw language and do significant outreach to the community.

District 3 Councilor George Ryan, vice chairman of the Town Services and Outreach Committee that has been reviewing the bylaw changes, said the town can and must do better in its pay-as-you-throw system and curbside compost collection. “If we are serious about our climate goals, we need to improve our waste management practices,” Ryan said.

Under the current town bylaw and regulations adopted by the Board of Health, residents have two options for disposing of solid waste. The first option allows people to buy annual stickers for their vehicles and to buy trash bags, and then to bring garbage and recyclables to the transfer station and recycling center on Belchertown Road, at the site of a capped landfill.

The second option allows people to hire a licensed private waste hauler, with no requirement of pay-as-you-throw or collection of compostables. USA Waste and Recycling is the only company licensed by the town for residential service. Critics note that curbside composting is offered by USA Waste and Recycling, but it is not promoted, and there is no incentive for residents to reduce waste.

With the vote on Monday, the Town Council is recommending that the transfer station could remain open, and any new program would be phased in beginning with single-family and two-, three-, and four-unit properties, and expand to all residential properties within three years.

But the vote comes with unknown costs for hiring a consultant. Department of Public Works Superintendent Guilford Mooring told councilors it could range from $50,000 to $75,000.

“There are lot of questions we can’t answer in public outreach until we actually have the RFP,” Mooring said.

Cost is likely to be a main concern. “Most peoples’ questions is going to be: ‘How much it is going to cost me to save the world?’” he said.

Both District 1 Councilor Cathy Schoen and At Large Councilor Mandi Jo Hanneke wondered why the town bylaw change is not starting with businesses, especially since they could have a significant amount of food waste.

At Large Councilor Andy Steinberg said beginning with residences is sensible, as apartment complexes and businesses have multiple haulers. 

“What we were very much warned about is to not do it all at once, but to try to do it sequentially, so that we do it right as we do each step to it,” Steinberg said.

Schoen also wondered if there are model towns that could be examined, saving money on consulting.

District 2 Councilor Pat De Angelis said her concern is that any new system will be more costly to most residents and that the changes won’t address economic justice, especially if the transfer station goes away, which could impact renters. “I don’t see how this helps them at all,” De Angelis said.

District 1 Councilor Ndifreke Ette said more engagement with the public should be a priority.

District 4 Councilor Pam Rooney said moving forward with a request for proposals is the next logical step.

Council President Lynn Griesemer said she appreciates the work that has gone into the proposal to help the environment. “This is a big job, and it’s a big change, and it will require a number of things, including a lot of citizen education,” Griesemer said.

Members of the public spoke favorably about the bylaw change, stressing the importance of having a pay-as-you-throw system and universal composting.

“We can extend our town’s commitment to being a green community by improving our waste and trash practices,” said Nancy Gilbert, who formerly chaired the town’s Board of Health.

Gilbert added that universal composting will reduce climate change and air pollution and promote public health, noting food scraps make up about 24% of what’s in landfills.

Barbara Pearson of Paige Street said the new regulations will benefit the town and planet. “The current proposal will provide more services at lower cost, and more importantly it reduces our waste dramatically, and it makes a good portion of our waste useful,” Pearson said.

Though he supports the laudable goal of reducing solid waste and methane gas, Jon Hite of District 2 cautioned that there is confusion in town, and a consultant should work on community engagement so people understand real costs and benefits, rather than what is hoped for.

“As a taxpayer, I’m hoping we can get a little more information than ‘we hope,’” Hite said.

Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.