The town of Plainville is updating its trash hauler regulations from 1998 to improve enforcement and access to recycling. The current regulations are disorganized and vague, making enforcement difficult. The new regulations aim to provide clear rules for both municipal and private haulers, identify all responsible parties, specify violations and penalties, and require haulers to provide and report on recycling services. This will help the town maintain competitive collection costs while ensuring all residents can recycle.

1. Town of Plainville
Why we need GOOD Trash Hauler Regulations

2. Plainville’s Trash History
Prior to 1983 - Cowell Street Landfill – Town owned
Residents dropped off all trash (what’s recycling?)
1983 – 1998 - Laidlaw Landfill Operated
Plainville residents received FREE curbside collection,
disposal of trash & processing of recyclables
1998 - Laidlaw Landfill Closed
Plainville municipal officials had to decide what to do
about trash & recycling. They had 3 choices:
1990 - Plainville Recycling Committee formed
Residents were giving little blue recycling bins to use
Recycling was collected bi-weekly at no cost to the town
The recycling rate was 23%

3. The Choices
Choice #1 Tax Increase and provide residents with municipal
collection service. This would have resulted in a substantial
tax increase with a tax override. This was a hard sell for
residents that enjoyed free service and for residents that did
not and would not receive municipal collection.
Choice #3 Pay – As – You - Throw
Formulate a program that was strictly user funded. It would
have to be competitive with private haulers and would only
work if a majority of residents participated.
Choice #2 Do nothing
With residents balking at a tax increase and the costs of
providing municipal service, officials considered the hard
choice of telling residents they would have to pay a private
hauler to provide trash & recycling collection service.
Residents were concerned that this cost would be high and be a
financial burden to a portion of Plainville’s most valued
residents.

4. CHOICE #3
Pay – As – You – Throw
The Board of Health considered all three choices very carefully
The driving force behind providing a municipal collection program was:
Our residents needed us!
Our senior population who have been in their homes for years
Our young families that grew up in Plainville and bought their own homes
Town officials wanted to provide a cost effective service to our most
valuable and vulnerable residents

5. The Challenges of PAYT
 Provide a comprehensive trash & recycling program
• Weekly curbside collection
• Drop off location for leaves, brush and metal
 Being able to afford to run the municipal program
• The greater the household participation, the costs can be spread
over more households
 Convincing residents to “buy in”
• We needed a minimum of 1400 households to participate or we
could not afford to run a municipal program
 Being competitive with private haulers
• Private haulers jumped at the residents to get their business

6. Municipal vs Private Hauler
Municipal Private Hauler
Provide weekly trash collection  
Provide weekly recyclables collection 
Provide customers with a list of acceptable trash and
recyclables and information on proper packaging

Enforce DEP Waste Bans 
Collect Bulky goods 
Take material to a licensed facility 
Provide customer list and tonnage totals 
The service for collection and disposal of both solid
waste and recyclables shall be charged at a single
flat fee.

Collection only
Per bag fee

7. 1998
Town of Plainville
Solid Waste and Recycling Regulations
Adopted on September 16, 1998
WHY

8.  To be competitive with Private Haulers
 To be able to check off the box to get
MRIP money
 To provide all residents with access to
recycling

9. Population - 8,801
Households - 3,676
Total Households Municipal Service Private Haulers
Single Family Homes 1948 1613 335
Condo’s (duplexes) 170 149 21
2-Family w/common drive 132 102 30
2-Family w/separate drive 80 62 18
3-Family 36 30 6
Residential w/business 32 17 15
Condo’s (4 units) 48 32 16
TOTALS 2446 2005 441
Condo complexes
4+ units & mobile homes
1230 1230

10. 2017
The Problems
• The regulations are disjointed and vague
• Definitions need to be updated
• Residential, municipal, commercial all lumped together
• All responsible parties are not identified
• Violations and penalties are not specified
• Regulations are not consistent with other towns
• Enforcement is solely the responsibility of the Town
Still working with the 1998 Trash Hauler Regulations

11. Small Staff
The Challenges of enforcing hauler regulations
• Limited Staff – Two person office
• Time out of the office, so many other things to do!
• Office coverage when out in the field
• LOW priority, so many other things to do!
• Don’t want to be the TRASH POLICE
• So many other things to do!

12. New Hauler Regulations
Hopes & Dreams
• Regulations work with both small and large towns and cities and can be
enforced by one or a task force
• A level playing field
• The regulations are CLEAR, ORGANIZED, SPECIFIC
• Definitions are uniform across all towns
• Residential, municipal, commercial customers are separated to address
the unique circumstances in each category
• All responsible parties including OWNERS, GENERATORS, TENANTS,
OCCUPANTS, PROPERTY MANAGERS AND HAULERS are identified
• Violations and penalties are clear and specific
• Regulations are consistent and uniform with other towns

13. New Hauler Regulations
Hopes & Dreams – continued
• Requirement for haulers to report where they are bringing the material
• Enforcement is easier
• Compliance with MassDEP Waste Bans can be enforced by the Town
• Information on MassDEP Waste Bans and acceptable recyclables is
required to be distributed to all customers by all haulers
• Requirement to report tonnages to municipalities
• RECYCLING IS ACCESSIBLE TO ALL RESIDENTS
• Municipal programs can remain competitive with private haulers with
costs, convenience and recycling access.

14. 2017
Why adopt new regulations

15.  To be competitive with Private Haulers
 To be able to check off the box to get
Recycling Dividends Program money
 To provide all residents with access to
recycling

16. Population - 8,801
Households - 3,676
Total Households Municipal Service Private Haulers
Single Family Homes 1948 1613 335
Condo’s (duplexes) 170 149 21
2-Family w/common drive 132 102 30
2-Family w/separate drive 80 62 18
3-Family 36 30 6
Residential w/business 32 17 15
Condo’s (4 units)* 48 32 16
TOTALS 2446 2005 441
Condo & Apartment
complexes 4+ units
& mobile homes
1230 1230

17. • 441 residential homes under 4 units
• Trash & Recycling bundled service. Must provide customers with solid waste
and recyclables collection at a rate that reflects the cost for both services.
Solid waste and recycling services must be provided by the same hauler.
• Must provide recyclables collection at the same frequency as solid waste
• Must provide bulky waste disposal a minimum of once per month
• Must enforce MassDEP waste bans
• Must provide information on MassDEP Waste Bans and acceptable
recyclables to all customers at least once a year
• Must notify customers in writing (letter or notice on set out) why material
was not collected
Private Hauler
Target Population for Recycling

18. • 1,230 residential 4+ units and mobile homes
(Mix of curbside and containerized collection)
• Hauler must offer to provide both solid waste and recyclables collection.
• Recyclables container must be same size or greater than solid waste
container
• Haulers must notify town of solid waste only customers
• Must enforce MassDEP waste bans
• Must provide information on MassDEP Waste Bans and acceptable
recyclables to all customers at least once a year
• Must notify customers in writing (letter or notice on set out) why material
was not collected.
Private Hauler
Target Population for Recycling

19. But it’s all Recycling

20. It’s all
Glass, Plastic, Metal, Cardboard

21. Sorry Dear, It’s NOT

22. If I had better regulations
This company would get a FINE

23. Contact
Deborah J. Revelle
Plainville Board of Health
Assistant Health Agent/Solid Waste Recycling Coordinator
drevelle@plainville.ma.us
508-695-3142, ext 16
www.plainville.ma.us