Residents came out to Tuesday night’s Board of Health meeting voicing frustrations over Marblehead’s new automated trash and recycling program, with many arguing that the standard 65-gallon trash carts and 95-gallon recycling carts are too big for the town’s historic neighborhoods, elderly residents and homes with limited storage space.
The meeting largely focused on the practical challenges residents say they face ahead of the July 1 launch of automated curbside collection.
Several residents from the Old & Historic District said the carts are difficult to store and detract from the appearance of the neighborhood.
“You drive around now, you drive through Old Town, you see these big honking bins in front of everybody’s house, and it is so ugly,” one resident complained.
Another resident noted that three condo units near her home had received six carts that now fill a designated parking space.
Board member Tom McMahon acknowledged the concerns but emphasized that no system would satisfy every household.
“This is not ideal,” McMahon said. “This is not a perfect scenario. It’s not going to be, no matter what we do. We have to figure out a way to make it work.”
Requesting smaller barrels
Health Director Andrew Petty said the town recognizes that some households cannot reasonably accommodate the standard carts.
“We do understand that there are properties that cannot place a 65 gallon and a 95 gallon,” Petty said. “We do have a 35 and a 65 for those households.”
Petty clarified that residents in the Old & Historic District may request smaller carts. He said the Health Department will also prioritize elderly residents and those with mobility issues.
Residents can email the Board of Health at health2@marbleheadma.gov to request alternatives. There is a limited supply and wait times may take about six weeks, he said.
The discussion repeatedly returned to the challenges facing older residents.
A 77-year-old woman who lives near Sewall Street described the physical difficulty of maneuvering the larger containers.
“I’ve had three shoulder replacements and knee replacements,” she said. “This for me is a health issue. I would like ones that are small and can fit in my garage.”
Another resident who lives off Beacon Street said the logistics of transporting the carts to the main road were unrealistic.
“I’m 73,” she said. “I am not going to truck two, 95-gallon bins down Mill Pond to Beacon Street.”
She noted that snowbanks in winter would make the task even harder.
“I know lots of other people who live on the streets off Beacon,” she said. “Most of them are elderly. They’re in their 70s and 80s. How are they going to get these 95-gallon bins down the road? They’re not.”
Petty encouraged residents with special circumstances to contact the Board of Health directly.
“Tell me your issues, and I will add that into it,” he said.
The meeting also featured criticism of how the rollout was communicated to residents.
One speaker said Arlington had mailed residents letters explaining their options before launching a similar program.
“They sent a letter to everyone and said, ‘Here’s what we’re going to be doing,'” she said. “Then you wouldn’t have this problem and everything could’ve gone much more smoothly.”
Petty said staffing limitations made a customized rollout difficult.
“There are two people who run the waste department,” he said. “We did not have that time.”
He estimated that mailing notices to all households would have cost about $8,000.
Repurposing discarded barrels
The board also heard from resident Barbara Roy, who has coordinated efforts — with the help of Sustainable Marblehead — to repurpose discarded barrels. She and a small group of volunteers have transported about 500 of the plastic barrels to Peabody, where there is a need.
Roy urged officials to continue looking for creative solutions.
“Find some solutions,” she said. “Think outside the box.”
The board also clarified that neighbors may now share carts under the tax-supported system approved in the June 9 election.
“Neighbors are more than welcome to share barrels at this time,” Petty said.
Despite the concerns, officials emphasized that the move to automated collection was necessary.
“No company was going to bid on collection unless we did automated collection,” Petty said. “We had no choice. This is the industry driving this through for safety reasons and everything.”
Board Chair Dr. Tom Massaro urged residents and officials alike to focus on solving problems rather than revisiting past decisions.
“We have to look at each other as community partners,” he said. “I have a list of mistakes that I made. It doesn’t do us any good to ruminate about how we could’ve done it better.”
Businesses approved for curbside pickup
In addition to discussing residential concerns, the Board of Health voted to allow eligible businesses to participate in the curbside collection program for a monthly fee.
Under the approved policy, qualifying businesses can receive one 65-gallon trash cart and one 95-gallon recycling cart for $160 per month. Businesses that require additional capacity would pay higher rates under the fee schedule.
Petty estimated that approximately 165 businesses could be eligible.
Food establishments, liquor stores and businesses handling chemicals would not qualify.
“It’s a great revenue stream for the town,” Petty said.
Petty acknowledged that he may not have barrels for businesses before the Festival of Arts which begins July 1.
Read the curbside collection regulations approved by the Board of Health below.
