Pay-As-You-Throw Blamed for Trashing up Presque Isle Roadsides

Many Presque Isle residents are pointing their fingers at the cities new Pay-As-You-Throw waste reduction system as the reason many of the areas roadsides are starting to look so trashy.

The Pay-As-You-Throw trash removal system, which is geared towards eliminating some of the waste traditionally bound for the landfill, requires residents to purchase special trash bags that are to be disposed of by the city at no additional cost to the resident - bags can cost up to $16.50 for a five-pack of 30 gallon bags.

“The cost of the bags incorporates the cost of managing the waste [and] can vary from town to town,” said Melanie Loyzim, director of Maine’s bureau of remediation and waste management. “Across the nation the statistics do show it has had an impact.”

Many residents feel that the city’s attempt to nickel and dim their trash usage is actually detrimental to the environment, since the roadways have become filled with more trash since the pay-as-you-throw program was put into effect in 2011.

However, city officials say they have not received many complaints that suggest that roadway dumping has become a bigger issue since the program was introduced.

“We’ve gotten maybe four or five reports, but not of garbage along the roads,” said Presque Isle police chief, Matt Irwin. “It’s more about someone using a commercial Dumpster or trash cans for personal use.”

The pay-as-you-throw trash system serves to reduce waste and extend the life of the landfill, while reducing the burden of local taxes, according to a representative for municipal waste.

What is your opinion of the pay-as-you-throw trash system and do you think it has lead to more trash being disposed of along roadsides?