'Once-a-Week Garbage Pick-Up Stinks,' Resident Tells Township Committee

A Springfield resident told the Township Committee at Tuesday's meeting that once-a-week garbage collection stinks, especially in the summer.

Cathy Flynn told committee members that she has tried three different garbage cans but nothing has worked when it comes to reducing the smell, bugs, flies and preventing animals from knocking it over. 

As suggested, she said she has also tried placing garbage inside grocery store bags, tying them and then placing them inside another bag before securing the can's lid but even those measures haven't stopped animals from spilling the contents. 

At Monday's committee work session meeting additional residents expressed their displeasure with the current weekly pick-up. Committee members said they spoke with the hauler, Regional Industries, Tuesday, and the contractor said that changing to twice a week would not be possible this summer but added that he would speak with his legal counsel to see if it could happen for next year's spring and summer seasons. 

When asked about possibly changing pick-up days from Thursday and Friday to Monday and Tuesday, the hauler said while that might satisfy 50 percent of the people, the remaining half would be unsatisfied with the switch. He also said moving garbage days to prior to the scheduled recycling day - Wednesday - could encourage residents to throw items in the trash that they may have otherwise recycled.

Flynn said that she did not believe that would be an issue as residents have been separating recyclables from garbage for several years now. 

"I feel like we’ve lost a service-twice a week pick-up-that we had been receiving," she said.