Portsmouth facing ‘perfect storm’ on waste management

Residents to be surveyed on curbside pickup, other trash options

EastBayRI.com ·

PORTSMOUTH — Faced with a “perfect storm” that’s making it increasingly expensive to dispose of Portsmouth’s trash, the town will survey residents on possible waste management options going forward.

Those include pay-as-you-throw (PAYT) and curbside pickup, both courses of action that must be considered in light of increased costs, Ray Antaya, the town’s recycling and solid waste coordinator, told the Town Council Monday night. 

“Portsmouth is facing a perfect storm as far as its waste management goes,” Mr. Antaya said. “One way or another, everybody’s going to be paying more.”

According to Mr. Antaya, the cost of operating the transfer station on Hedly Street is rising, while tipping fees imposed by the R.I. Resource Recovery Corporation (RIRRC) are also going up dramatically — from $39.50 starting July 1 to $47 the following year.

On top of that, Portsmouth’s recycling rate in 2016 was a measly 21 percent, compared to 31 percent for both Newport and Tiverton and 39 percent for Middletown. That doesn’t translate into any rebates on tipping fees from the state, Mr. Antaya said. A recycling rate of 25 percent, for example, would mean a dollar discount on tipping fees, he said.

The town-wide survey, he said, will help guide the town in its decisions on solid waste management going forward. The questionnaire will be available online through the town’s website and also at the Portsmouth Free Public Library and Clements’ Marketplace. Volunteers will also hand out surveys at the transfer station during normal operating hours.

Time is of the essence, officials say, as the contractor currently operating the transfer station has agreed to do so only through the end of this year.

“We have six months available to find out which direction the town wants to go in. It’s a matter of cost versus convenience,” said Mr. Antaya. “We hope to engage everyone in this process.”

Residents in about 4,000 households currently purchase stickers for $160 per vehicle — and $10 for each additional vehicle per household — to deposit their trash at the transfer station on Hedly Street. The transfer station operates under an enterprise fund which receives most of its money from the sale of those stickers.

But Mr. Antaya said keeping the status quo could require the sticker fee to increase to about $300. He presented several options for the town could consider going forward (see related story), which include a PAYT program and curbside pickup.

Costs questioned

Several people questioned some aspects of the report as well as the accompanying survey. Council member Paul Kesson said “raw data” was missing from the report, which didn’t make it clear how much a PAYT program would cost for families of different sizes. 

Mr. Antaya acknowledged that it was “impossible” to do those estimates.

Local resident Peter Roberts said the town should use tax dollars to run the transfer station instead of purchasing property to preserve, such as Mt. Hope Park, a waterfront park the town is developing in the north end.

“Quit wasting our money,” Mr. Roberts told the council.

Another resident, Judi Staven, said the survey seemed biased because it appeared to be “pushing” to close the transfer station. She suggested the survey should also ask residents what they like about the transfer station. Council President Keith Hamilton requested that the question be incorporated into the survey.

Exploring all options

“Nobody up here’s pushing to close the transfer station,” Mr. Hamilton said, adding the town needs to explore all options to deal with the rising costs in managing trash.

Ms. Staven also urged the town to crack down on transfer station users “who aren’t supposed to be there,” which she said is a prime reason for the cost spikes.

Mr. Antaya concluded the discussion by saying the town isn’t leaning one way or another on what option it should take going forward. 

“I expect it to be a spirited debate,” he said in urging everyone to fill out the survey. “Cost is an issue for all of us.” 

Portsmouth transfer station, recycling