Special Town Meeting set for May 5 to consider a new bylaw for automated trash collection system

By Mark E. Vogler

Town Meeting members will consider the adoption of a solid waste, trash and recycling Modernization Bylaw when a Special Town Meeting convenes in advance of the Annual Town Meeting set for 7:30 p.m. May 5 in the second floor auditorium at Saugus Town Hall. With the town in position to convert to an automated trash and recycling collection system, Town Manager Scott C. Crabtree submitted the proposal. It was one of several warrant articles that Town Meeting will take up on the night of Town Meeting.

“This bylaw is enacted to modernize and streamline the Town’s approach to the management and collection of solid waste, trash, and recycling and to advance the goals of environmental sustainability, operational efficiency and public health,” the proposed article said.

“Across the waste management industry, municipalities are increasingly transitioning to automated collection systems utilizing standardized, wheeled carts (Toters). These systems support cleaner streets, improved worker safety, and greater participation in recycling programs – leading to an increase in diverted recyclable materials. These outcomes align with the Town of Saugus’s long-standing commitment to environmentally conscious policies and waste reduction,” the article continued.

A related article will seek funding for the new bylaw.