Communities moving forward with Pay As You Throw
IN THE CITY
by Dana H. Fowler
By the time you read this column, Pay As You Throw (PAYT) will be in its third week of operation.
Overall, the program is going well considering it is brand new to all of us. Obviously, there are some issues that have been and will need to be addressed to fine tune the program. This column will address some of the issues that we have encountered thus far that we would appreciate your assistance with.
All PAYT orange bags need to be set out by 7 a.m. Some residents have been accustomed to a different collection time in the past, but be aware that the waste haulers have a different collection time now with different routes. The haulers might also be revising their collection routes over the next several weeks to make them more efficient, so be sure to set your PAYT bags out by 7 a.m.
It is recommended that you place your PAYT orange bags inside a trash can with a lid. This will prevent birds and animals from getting into your trash and making a mess. Your full blue bags with recyclables can be placed on the ground next to your PAYT trash can. The blue bag of recyclables should not attract birds or animals, so they do not need to be placed in a trash can. Large pieces of cardboard should be flattened and placed under your full blue bag or trash container.
One clarification needs to be made regarding PAYT collection on State Street. If you live on State Street east of Main Street, your collection day is Wednesday. If you live on State Street west of Main Street, your collection day is Thursday. There has also been a change in collection day for the Parkhurst Siding Road. If you live on the Parkhurst Siding Road, your collection day is now Wednesday.
One of the bigger challenges we had during the first week was contamination in the blue bags of recyclables. We know many of you are recycling for the first time. If you have questions, please contact me by email at dfowler@presqueisleme.us or by calling the Solid Waste Department office at 760-2712. If your waste hauler notices non-recyclables in the blue bag of recyclables, the City has instructed the hauler to not pick up your blue bag. If this should happen and you are uncertain as to the reason, please contact us at 760-2712.
We have had many questions about what is and is not recyclable. One of the most frequent questions is about what plastics are recyclable. Look on the bottom of your plastic bottle for a triangle that has a number inside it. The number inside the triangle will be between 1 and 7, which indicates the type of plastic the bottle is made of. Number 1 PETE and number 2 HDPE bottles are recyclable. Rinse well, remove the cap, and place in your recycling bag. You do not have to remove the label.
Please note that a bottle is defined as a container with a neck, which is a narrowing of the bottle. Some plastic containers numbered 1 and 2 are not recyclable because they are not bottles. Some examples of containers numbered 1 and 2 that are not bottles and, therefore, not recyclable include plastic egg cartons, plastic clamshell style containers used for berries, and plastic trays.
Some residents have had some difficulty finding PAYT bags during the first week of PAYT due to high demand. The bags should be in stock now that the start of the program is behind us. If a store is temporarily out of a PAYT bag, you can check another store. The list of stores selling PAYT bags in Presque Isle includes Bradley’s Convenience Store, Gil’s Sanitation, Graves Shop n’ Save, Maine Potato Growers, Star City IGA, Star City Sanitation, Steaks & Stuff, and Walmart. PAYT bags are also sold at the following locations outside of Presque Isle: Perham Town Office, Washburn Food Mart, and Paradis Shop n’ Save in Caribou.
Keep in mind that if you have general questions about PAYT, you can check the City’s web site at http://www.presqueisle.govoffice2.com/. There will be a box titled “Pay As You Throw (FAQ)”, which you can click on and view answers to frequently asked questions about PAYT. Feel free to contact us if you have questions about PAYT or recycling using the contact information below.
Dana H. Fowler, P.E. is the solid waste director for the city of Presque Isle. He can be contacted at 760-2712 or via e-mail at dfowler@presqueisleme.us.
