SEYMOUR — Hey Seymour residents (or at least those of you who have garbage pick-up on Mondays), it’s time for a little trash talk.
The Valley Indy got the 411 from First Selectwoman Annmarie Drugonis on all you need to know about a new trash reduction pilot program geared to save money and protect Mother Earth at the same time.
The pilot program launched for about 1,100 households in the Skokorat Street area of town on Feb. 13, and is currently just for residents who have normal trash pick-up on Mondays.
What went down is Seymour (and other towns and cities throughout CT) received a portion of a $5 million grant (Drugonis did not immediately have the amount) from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, or DEEP to take part in the Trash Reduction Pilot program.
The process is simple. Residents with Monday trash pick-up received a free supply of green trash bags and orange trash bags. These bags take the place of those tall white kitchen garbage bags or other trash bags you buy at the grocery store, Walmart, Costco, etc.
The bags were dropped off at residents’ homes, courtesy of Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments, or NVCOG, which is helping administer the program locally in the Valley. NVCOG officials said residents were given an approximately nine-month supply of the color-coded bags, allowing for two, 15-gallon orange trash bags per week and one, eight-gallon green food bag.
* Residents are asked to put their food waste into the green bags.
* All other trash can be tossed into the orange bags.
Both the orange and green bags then get tossed weekly into residents’ current big green trash containers — the ones provided by the town’s current trash hauler, Oakridge.
The big blue trash container from Oakridge, reserved for recycling (cans, newspapers, cardboard, etc.) will remain as is, for recyclables only. This new waste reduction program is for trash only, not recycling.
The goal, according to a press release from NVCOG, is to divert food scraps from the waste stream and limit the number of trash bags being used each week.
Participation isn’t mandatory, FYI, but officials are encouraging residents to help out.
“Is it a pain to separate everything, yes,” Drugonis said. “In the end, it will make the environment better for everyone, including the ground.”
Drugonis said currently all of Seymour’s trash is transported to a facility in Bristol, where it is burned for energy. She said the state is considering shutting down these types of facilities.
Drugonis said Seymour is paying $1.5 million for trash and recycling services, with separate costs for pick-up and disposal. In 2021, she said Seymour negotiated a new pick-up contract for the first time in 10 years, and still saw a cost increase of 25 percent.
“This program represents a great opportunity for Seymour to address the garbage crisis and control costs,” Drugonis said. “If we all do our part, we can reduce our waste, save money and help the environment.”
Residents currently involved in the pilot program are encouraged to attend an information session, dubbed “A Community Champions Dinner” at 6 p.m. Feb. 27 at the Seymour Community Center, located at 20 Pine St.
Other groups not in the pilot program, like gardening clubs or students are invited to attend, as well. Pizza will be served. Countertop composting bins will also be available on a first come, first served basis.
Those interested in attending should RSVP to [email protected]. More information about the program can be found online.
