PROGRAM BACKGROUND

Since September 2015, the Town of Acton’s residential waste collection program is known as a SMART (Save Money and Reduce Trash) pay-as-you-throw (PAYT) program.  With this program, residential trash is only accepted at the Transfer Station when residents place it in Acton’s official light blue bags which are available to buy at local area merchants.

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You can reduce your trash costs by recycling more, since there is no extra charge for recycling. The SMART PAYT program lets you take control of your waste disposal costs!

The Acton trash bags are conveniently available at retail outlets throughout Acton (and other nearby stores). They are available in three sizes: large (33 gallon), small (15 gallon), and mini (8 gallon).

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Click here for the PAYT Annual Report.

What are the benefits of this program?

• Residents can save money. With the more equitable SMART PAYT program, residents pay only for the garbage they throw away—not for their neighbors’ trash too!

• PAYT provides for long-term cost-effective management of Acton’s Transfer Station and enables the Town to budget for Transfer Station expense

• Increased recycling keeps local dollars in Massachusetts, boosting our state economy by creating local jobs and increasing our energy independence

• PAYT helps conserve our natural resources. When residents throw away less and recycle more, landfills last longer, greenhouse gas emissions are reduced, millions of BTUs of energy are saved, and natural resources last longer.