Town of Grafton - Pay As You Throw

Pay As You Throw

Frequently Asked Questions


	An Informational Guide to the Town’s Trash and Recycling Policies RECYCLE MORE, PAY LESS. Scroll Down the page to read all the questions - OR - Click on any one of the following links to jump directly to a specific question. What is Pay As You Throw? Why is the Town implementing PAYT? How much does trash cost to collect and dispose of? How much does recycling cost the Town? How much money could the town save with the implementation of PAYT? What if I don’t use the proper bag? How will the Town deal with offenders? How many PAYT bags are residents able to put out each week? Will there be any changes to the recycling program? Is there a limit to the amount of items I can recycle? How much do Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) trash bags cost? Can we put the bags into our trash barrels? What about animals? How do I dispose of bulk items that won’t fit into a bag? Can I hire my own hauler and choose not to participate in the PAYT program? How can I get more information on this program? What is Pay As You Throw? Pay As You Throw (PAYT) is a system by which you pay for the trash you dispose. PAYT allows each household to control its volume of trash disposal. PAYT encourages recycling- when you recycle more and discard less trash, you will pay less. PAYT has been implemented by more than 125 communities in Massachusetts including Worcester, Sutton, Upton, Northborough, West Boylston, and Shrewsbury. (Top of Page) Why is the Town implementing PAYT? To help offset the cost associated with providing trash collection. These revenues will help maintain the same level of municipal services. The additional benefit of PAYT is that it increases recycling rates. (Top of Page) How much does trash cost to collect and dispose of? Last year Grafton paid over $500,000 in disposal fees to dispose of 6,100 tons of trash at the Wheelabrator incinerator in Millbury, MA. Grafton’s collection of curbside trash and recycling is additionally about $500,000 a year. (Top of Page) How much does recycling cost the Town? The Town pays for the hauling cost of recycling, but does not pay for the disposal or recycled materials. (Top of Page) How much money could the town save with the implementation of PAYT? The Town is estimating a 20% overall reduction in trash disposal costs with the PAYT program. (Top of Page) What if I don’t use the proper bag? Any trash that is left on the curb that is not in an official Town of Grafton trash bag will not be picked up. However, the town reserves the right to pick up trash that is not removed from curbside in a timely manner, and will be picked up as a bulk item charge at the expense of the property owner. Repeat offenders will be subject to additional fines. See chapter 270. Crimes Against Public Health (click here) (Top of Page) How will the Town deal with offenders? A: The Town will regularly monitor areas that historically have dumping issues. The Town encourages all residents to report offenders to either police department or Town Hall at 508-839-5335. The Town also urges residents to engage the cooperation of their neighbors for the success of this program. (Top of Page) How many PAYT bags are residents able to put out each week? There is no limit on the amount of PAYT bags. Each residence controls how much they want to spend for their trash disposal. When you recycle more and discard less trash, you will pay less. (Top of Page) Will there be any changes to the recycling program? No, since the goal of PAYT is to increase recycling, there will be no additional charge for recyclables put out for collection. Grafton collects recyclables curbside on a biweekly basis. See the recycling calendar (click here). (Top of Page) Is there a limit to the amount of items I can recycle? No. The town encourages residents to recycle as much as they can as it will help the environment. The more your recycle, the fewer bags you will need to purchase and the more money you will save. The town will also provide each resident, upon request, with free recycling stickers, which, once affixed, will allow a resident to convert trash barrels to larger recycling bins. (Top of Page) How much do Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) trash bags cost? Grafton’s Official PAYT bags cost $.75 per bag for the 15 gallon bags and $1.50 for the 33 gallon bags. These bags are sold at local retailers. To see list of retailers click here. (Top of Page) Can we put the bags into our trash barrels? Yes. The town encourages residents to use a trash barrel; you will just need to put your trash in an official Grafton bag before placing it in barrel. You can also just place your trash in official bag on the curb. (Top of Page) What about animals? That is a concern with any bag. Possible suggestions are to put your trash out on the day of your collection or to put your bags into a barrel. (Top of Page) How do I dispose of bulk items that won’t fit into a bag? Bulk items (large items such as furniture, carpet, mattresses & box springs, baby cribs, etc) can be scheduled directly with EL Harvey & Sons for bulk item pickup. Each residence gets two scheduled bulk pickups per year. Any additional cost is at the discretion of EL Harvey. Any bulk item that fits into a PAYT bag can be placed at curbside in an official bag. Your PAYT bag must be able to close. For customer service or to schedule a bulk item call EL Harvey directly at (800) 321-3030. (Top of Page) Can I hire my own hauler and choose not to participate in the PAYT program? Yes. A resident may choose their own hauler at any time. However, there will not be a tax reduction by doing so since trash/recycling pickup is currently built into the tax base for residents. (Top of Page) How can I get more information on this program? Any additional questions can be directed to Doreen DeFazio, Project Manager/Recycling Coordinator at defaziod@grafton-ma.gov or (508) 839-5335 X168. To view more information about PAYT, recycling, brush disposal area and other sanitation services, click here. (Top of Page)