I’m not saying there won’t be any hiccups, but if people sign up by March 28, there will be a lot fewer hiccups.”

Town Administrator Richard Rainer, Jr.

PORTSMOUTH — Despite it being in the works for more than two years and vigorously debated at several well-attended public hearings, there’s still plenty of misinformation circulating around town about the town’s first curbside collection program that starts July 1.

Earlier this year the Town Council reaffirmed the previous council’s decision to use a single hauler — MTG Disposal, LLC (Mega) — for the municipal program. It will be the only municipal curbside program in the state that operates through an enterprise fund (similar to the Hedly Street transfer station) while using an exclusive hauler. The transfer station will continue to operate for those residents who prefer that option.

The town has set the annual sticker fee for the curbside program at $460, which is based on about 4,000 households the town is projecting will sign up — roughly the same number currently using private haulers.

“The signups are slow right now, but it’s steady,” said Town Administrator Richard Rainer, Jr., noting that about 600 households had registered as of last week. “I’m sure it’s going to start picking up in the coming weeks. We’re anticipating a crush of people coming in June.”

The town is urging people to sign up by March 28 if they want to get their trash collected as soon as the program starts on July 1; signing up later will delay service. You can register at the Town Hall Tax Office, 2200 East Main Road, with a $40 deposit or payment in full.

“We need to know who to deliver the bins to, and we need to figure out the routes. If you sign up after March 28, there’s no guarantee we will be able to pick up your trash at the beginning of the program,” said Rainer. “I’m not saying there won’t be any hiccups, but if people sign up by March 28, there will be a lot fewer hiccups.”

Last week we sat town with Rainer along with Public Works Director Brian Woodhead, DPW Deputy Director Paul Rodrigues, and Business Development Director Richard Talipsky to clear up some of the confusion around the curbside program.

Does the town want to close the transfer station? 

Ever since a municipal curbside program was first proposed, many townspeople have claimed the Town of Portsmouth is bent on closing down the Hedly Street station. It’s just not so, officials insist.

“The transfer station is not closing. We have a three-year contract to June 30, 2028,” Woodhead said.

The Town Council in 2022 “made it very clear that we were going to run both. There was never an intent to close the transfer station,” Rainer added.

Originally, the plan was to leverage the transfer station as part of a curbside program, with the Hedly Street station being used for diversion items only. “But people didn’t want that,” the manager said.

While it’s certainly conceivable that the transfer station — originally built in 1972 when the town’s population was just 9,000 — could someday close, it will stay open “as long as there are customers willing to pay the sticker price as dictated by how the enterprise fund operates.”

If there are major upgrades needed to the station, such as replacing another compactor — the town used a low-interest municipal loan to swap out one of them several years ago — it will be addressed in a similar fashion, Woodhead and Rainer said.

The fact that the majority of residents now use private curbside haulers, and presumably will sign up for the new town program, should help extend the life of the transfer station. “It’s kind of reached an equilibrium right now,” said Rainer. “There is a shelf life of the transfer station, but we don’t know what that will be as determined by user fees.”

I use Mega for curbside now, so am I enrolled automatically?

“No, you still have to sign up,” said Rainer. “Once you do, Mega will take care of the rest.”

Added Woodhead, “They’re not getting a Mega bin, they’re getting a Town of Portsmouth bin.”

Does the town have the legal right to do this?

“The federal court system has weighed in on this and it is recognized as a municipal service, should the municipality want to take this on,” Rainer said.

Isn’t the town afraid other vendors will sue?

“Not really, because those same vendors bid on this project,” said Rainer, adding that one such vendor, Waste Management, recently sent out “a very nice letter letting their customers know their program will end in June.”

At the end of the five-year contract with Mega, the bidding process will start over again and all vendors will have the opportunity to make their pitch, he said.

Won’t this put too many trucks on our roads at one time?

No, because there will be only one hauler, officials said. “A woman downstairs (at Town Hall) said she had counted four (trash) trucks going through her neighborhood in the same week. That’s not going to happen any more. A residential street will have one trash truck and one yard waste truck,” Rainer said.

What about the bins?

New 95-gallon trash and recycling bins (also called carts), with the town’s official logo, will be distributed to households that signed up for curbside between June 16 and 30. The carts are owned by the curbside enterprise fund, not residents, and should not be used until July 1.

Old carts cannot be used in the new program, so contact your previous vendor to arrange for cart removal. Vendors should not charge for cart pickup.

You can order an additional trash cart for $150, and an extra recycling bin for another $10. While 95-gallon bins will be distributed initially, residents will be able to get 65-gallon bins if they so choose.

Are there accommodations for the elderly or physically challenged?

“If there are physically challenged or elderly people who can’t wheel their bins down to the curb, we have a service which allows Mega to go up to your house and bring the barrel down for you,” said Woodhead. 

The town’s diversion manager, who has not yet been hired, will coordinate with Mega in creating a list of people who require extra service.

Why are we hiring somebody to do this?

“The town’s not paying for it. The enterprise fund is paying for it,” said Rainer.

How do I dispose of bulk items?

“If you have a bulky item you want to get rid of through curbside, you just call Mega (401/424-4580) to arrange for pickup,” said Woodhead.

The town’s website keeps a list of all applicable bulk items such as refrigerators, chairs, swing sets, and stoves. Fees apply and must be paid directly to the vendor. 

What about yard waste?

“Many subscription services don’t include yard waste; ours does. To make it even easier, there are no special containers needed,” said Rainer, adding each household may put out up to 10 bags/barrels/bundles each week.

“If you have yard waste out for collection, you have to put out at least one bin with the town seal,” Woodhead added. 

Yard waste will be collected 24 weeks out of the year, April through December. 

Will this program use pay-as-you-throw (PAYT) bags?

“The council made a decision that PAYT was not going to be part of the curbside program,” Rainer said.

Why can’t I pay online?

“We’re not set up to do it,” said Rainer, adding that if credit cards were used online, a fee would have to be passed on to the consumer. “Hopefully in the future we’ll be able to implement it. Unfortunately it was a bridge too far.”

For more detailed information on the curbside collection program, go here, e-mail curbside@portsmouthri.gov, or call 401/683-0362.