SWAMPSCOTT — The town is moving closer to a new trash and recycling contract that would largely maintain current service levels while introducing automated collection and new recycling carts across town. 

During Wednesday evening’s Select Board meeting, Town Administrator Nick Connors said the contract with Republic Services is being finalized after an RFP review process and could begin taking effect in July. Officials said the shift to automation is expected to generate significant savings for the town while creating few immediate changes for residents beyond new recycling containers and updated collection procedures. 

Connors said the town is also launching a dedicated webpage with frequently asked questions, updates, and other information related to the rollout. The page will be updated as officials hear additional questions from residents throughout the implementation process. 

Among the most noticeable changes for residents will be a transition to automated collection. Instead of workers manually loading trash and recycling into the truck, collection vehicles will use mechanical arms to lift and empty barrels.

“We will now have a machine with an arm that picks up the barrels and dumps them into the truck,” Connors said. “We wanted to maintain service levels with that, and that was a contract that we negotiated.” 

Despite the shift to automated collection, Connors emphasized that service levels are expected to remain unchanged when the contract first takes effect. Weekly trash collection, weekly recycling pickup, and seasonal yard waste collection will continue. Blue bags will also remain part of the system.

One of the primary drivers in the shift to automation is financial savings tied to that type of collection. While the overall contract reflects rising costs of solid waste collection regionally, automated pickup options were generally much less expensive than manual collection. 

“That’s a significant savings for us,” Select Board member MaryEllen Fletcher said. 

Connors told the board that Republic Services recently confirmed it had secured the trucks needed for automated collection, allowing the town to move forward once the contract rollout is finalized.

Because automated trucks require standardized containers, the town will need to distribute new 96-gallon recycling carts to residents before the transition begins. In May, Town Meeting approved the use of free cash to purchase the carts. 

Connors said the town is currently targeting the second week of July for implementation, giving additional time to distribute the carts, answer questions from residents, and continue public outreach efforts.

As officials prepare for the rollout, board members said one of the most common questions from residents is likely to involve additional trash capacity. Board member Danielle Leonard urged the town to have answers ready regarding the cost and availability of a second recycling barrel before the new system is implemented.  

The larger recycling carts were also selected with future flexibility in mind. Connors said the 96-gallon containers provide enough capacity for the town to consider changes to recycling service in the future if officials determine it makes financial sense.

“One of the reasons that we chose that size is so in the future, if there is a discussion from a policy standpoint about any changes to the recycling, it is something that can be handled,” Connors said. “We wanted to keep every option open.”

One of those options discussed Wednesday was a potential shift from weekly to bi-weekly recycling collection. Officials stressed that no decision had been made, but the cost-saving measure had been discussed in contract negotiations. Board members said that aspect of the contract was something they wanted residents to understand as the contract rollout began. 

“We negotiated the price for this to go every other week,” Select Board Chair Katie Phelan said. “We pretty much feel like that is going to happen imminently. What does imminently look like? It could be months. But we have to move towards that conversation.” 

Board members had questions about the timing of the rollout and how much the financial benefits of the transition to bi-weekly recycling pickup weighed against the time needed to educate residents about changes in the collection system. 

“If it’s a significant change in service level … that’s something that I would like to socialize far beyond: we’re just asking you to put it in a different barrel,” Connors said. “I want to be able to say to the community, ‘the savings are X and it’s significant and here’s why we think it’s worthwhile. We want your feedback.’” 

Residents will have several opportunities to learn more and offer feedback before the contract takes effect. Connors said he will present contract details again at a meeting of the Solid Waste Advisory Committee on June 8, followed by a public information session and hearing on the proposed contract on June 15. Both meetings will be held in a hybrid format.

“We would love to have anyone come to either one of them,” Connors said. “Folks are welcome to come and ask questions and anything else they would like about.”

With the town targeting implementation in mid-July, Phelan encouraged residents to attend the upcoming meetings and share their thoughts on the proposed changes.

“The Select Board is actively discussing this,” she said. “So if you want to be a partner in this conversation, please show up and tell them what your thoughts are.”