The Board of Health unanimously approved sticking with Republic Services for a new, five-year contract that will begin July 1. Republic will provide curbside collection of trash and recycling, disposal of MSW (municipal solid waste) and processing of recycling. This as the town is considering imposing a $250 annual fee for curbside pickup.
The final cost of the contract is still being negotiated, according to BoH Chair Dr. Tom Massaro.
After a search and interview process that included a 70-page request for proposals, Health Director Andrew Petty recommended staying with Republic, which has served Marblehead for at least the last decade.
“We want to provide the best service, the best price … and obviously, I think we’ve done that,” Petty said at a March 5 Board of Health meeting.
Petty acknowledged that some residents may have lingering frustrations with Republic after last summer’s 11-week trash strike.
“I do understand we did go through a strike with them,” Petty said. “I know it was hard for a lot of people. We did have trash trucks in town every day, compared to other communities. We do work with these really well.”
There will be some changes under the new contract. The town will shift to automated trash and recycling pickup, meaning trucks will use a mechanical arm to lift barrels and empty them into the truck.
Trash and recycling will still be collected manually in the Old & Historic District, where streets are often too narrow to accommodate automated trucks.
The town will distribute 65-gallon trash bins and 95-gallon recycling bins to all residents.
“All items have to be placed in the barrels,” Petty emphasized. “You can’t put your cardboard boxes out next to the barrels.”
The town will also offer businesses trash and recycling pickup for $100 per month, Petty said.
