Carver pulls out of transfer station, curbside pick-up plans

It looks like Wareham will be on its own for waste disposal plans, as Carver voted to reduce the Carver Marion Wareham Waste District’s operations to administrative duties only at their Town Meeting on Oct. 19.

Wareham and Carver had discussed banding together to continue the operation of the Rte. 28 Transfer Station in Rochester and to get a better deal on town-wide curbside pick-up of waste and recycling.

“If we’re going alone, no problem. We’re going to make it work,” said Town Administrator Derek Sullivan at the Oct. 20 Board of Selectmen’s Meeting.

Because Town Meeting has been delayed, the waste district plans will need to be finalized either through a special Town Meeting (which can be scheduled about 30 days in advance), or through some other means.

The town is considering going through the Board of Health to create the waste district plan. It is unclear whether the Board of Health can create regulations that include fees.

The Board of Selectmen decided to offer both curbside pick-up and a transfer station. 

The plan is that by default, everyone will get curbside pick-up and transfer station access. Those who do not want curbside pick-up will have the option to opt-out and only purchase a transfer station access sticker for an estimated $125. 

The transfer station access fee will pay for the operational costs of the transfer station, including staffing, equipment, insurance and maintenance. Residents will also be responsible for paying for the cost of disposing the waste they bring there through a pay-as-you-throw system. Some towns use special garbage bags that cost more for pay-as-you-throw, while others use a punch card system where each punch buys the disposal of a large bag of trash, for example.

The selectmen hope to figure out how they can make this plan work — and how they can charge residents to pay for it — by their meeting next week.

“Is it a form of taxation? Is it a fee? What are the parameters we’re dealing with, and who is authorized to get it done?” asked Peter Teitelbaum.

Selectman Judy Whiteside will be discussing the matter with the Board of Health at its Oct. 21 meeting.