Special to the Transcript
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection has established a goal for each city and town in the Commonwealth to reduce their tonnage by 30-percent by 2030. The Town of Winthrop is working toward meeting or beating that goal. As part of the Town’s overall reduction strategy, Solid Waste and Recycling ordinances and regulations adopted by the Town Council and Board of Health will go into effect on July 1, 2023.
Waste Collection Fees will be billed every six months, in July and January. The current fee for curbside collection of solid waste (trash) and recycling will remain $160.00 per unit, per dwelling. The bill will be divided equally per billing cycle. Any interest on past due fees will continue to accrue until payment is made in full.
As of July 1, 2023, all residents will be permitted to utilize one (1) town-issued trash bin and one (1) town-issued recycling bin per unit, per dwelling. Single family homes have been issued one set of bins (1) trash bin and one (1) recycling bin. A two- family dwelling is issued tw• sets, one for each unit of the dwelling. A three-family dwelling is issued three sets, one for each unit of the dwelling. Please add the address on each bin and unit number if applicable.
Any additional trash will need to be in an official Town of Winthrop Overflow Trash Bag placed curbside, inside a covered bin supplied by the resident. Any trash placed for pickup not following this policy will not be collected by the hauler.
Town of Winthrop Overflow bags are sold in sleeves of five ($15.00)
Bags will be available at Woodside Ace Hardware, Shirley True Value Hardware, Cumberland Farms, Quick Food Mart, T & T, Winthrop Town Hall and DPW.
• Our overflow bags are made in the USA of recycled content and are 1.5 millimeters thick and measure 33†by 35â€, the equivalent of a 33-gallon bag.
• Any trash which does not fit in your town issued bin with the cover closed, will need an overflow bag. Overflow trash must be placed in a covered bin provided by the homeowner.
• These bags are for household trash only.
• Do not place any yard waste, recyclables, construction debris or hazardous waste, textiles, or banned materials in these bags.
• Overflow bags must not be left on the curb.
• Any bags/items left for collection not following these policies will not be collected by the hauler.
• No refund on purchased bags. If the product is defective, call the number on the bag for replacement.
Online Bulk Stickers
• Bulk Item Stickers are available online only at the town website, www.town.winthrop.ma.us. Once the order is received the stickers will be mailed to your home within 5-7 days.
• Bulk Item Stickers are non-refundable and non-transferable to another address or item.
• All Orange Bulk Sticker Items will be increased to $10.00 on July 1, 2023.
• Residents will be limited to two Orange (household) Bulk Sticker Items collected curbside weekly. A limit of two Blue (freon items), Yellow (appliances and large item) and Pink (electronics) Bulk Item Stickers are picked up on the third Tuesday monthly. If you do not place your ‘White Goods’ item out for collection on the third Tuesday, please call the DPW at 617-846-1341 to reschedule your pickup for the next month.
Abatements
Solid Waste Abatement Forms will be available online from the town website t• download, at the Town Hall and the DPW. All Waste Collection Fees must be current and paid in full until the resident receives written approval of abatement. Abatements will be considered for:
• Unoccupied unit in a multi-dwelling- The entire unit must be vacant for the entire 6 months of the billing cycle to qualify for an abatement. The owner must provide proof of vacancy in the form of utility bills.
• Private Hauler- The owner will need to provide a copy of the contract with the hauler to the DPW. Documentation must include the service address, number of units, contract rate and term of the contract.
• 34-gallon Trash/Recycling Bins ​
• Bins will be available upon request with preference given for differently abled and senior residents.
• The fee is $100 per unit, per dwelling in two equal billing cycles annually.
• The owner must complete an abatement form for bin exchange. Upon approval by the Town Manager or their designee, a bin will be assigned and delivered to the property.
• Request for Additional Trash Bin
• The owners may request to add an additional 64-gallon trash bin to the allocated number of bins per dwelling. Currently, there is a waitlist. The second trash bin fee annually is $280.00 in addition to the annual Solid Waste & Recycling Fee of $160.00 per unit, per dwelling.
• The owner must complete an abatement form for bin exchange. Upon approval by the Town Manager or their designee, a bin will be assigned and delivered to the property.
If you have questions, please visit the Solid Waste & Recycling page on The Town of Winthrop website www.town.winthop.ma.us or call the DPW at 617-846-1341 X 2609.