Program Details and Overview

<p class="font_8">PROGRAM DETAILS&nbsp;</p>
<h3 class="font_3"><strong>Connecticut is Facing a Trash Crisis&nbsp;</strong></h3>
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<li><p class="font_8">Waste disposal capacity in the US is shrinking.&nbsp;</p></li>
<li><p class="font_8">The New England region is expected to lose 40% of its trash disposal capacity in the next 5 years and up to 100% by 2040.&nbsp;</p></li>
<li><p class="font_8">The MIRA incinerator in Hartford, is no longer burning trash, this facility was relied on by 35 neighboring communities, leaving them without a disposal site.&nbsp;</p></li>
<li><p class="font_8">This loss of trash disposal capacity is significantly affecting West Haven.&nbsp;</p></li>
<li><p class="font_8">The alternative of trucking CT trash up to 600 miles out of state is expensive and not sustainable. We need a new approach.&nbsp;</p></li>
</ul>
<h3 class="font_3"><br></h3>
<h3 class="font_3"><strong>We Need to Reduce Waste</strong></h3>
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<li><p class="font_8">Food scraps make up 20% of the waste we currently throw away and can easily be converted to energy and compost right here in Connecticut.&nbsp;</p></li>
<li><p class="font_8">Weekly Curbside Food Scrap Co-Collection would allow residents to recycle their food scraps with no additional transportation costs.&nbsp;</p></li>
<li><p class="font_8">Removing food waste from the trash and converting those scraps into clean, renewable energy can save us money.&nbsp;</p></li>
</ul>
<h3 class="font_3"><strong>West Haven is Being Proactive&nbsp;</strong></h3>
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<li><p class="font_8">West Haven received a $1.3 million dollar grant from DEEP to implement a City-wide pilot program.&nbsp;</p></li>
<li><p class="font_8">The pilot program will allow the City and our residents to try the program before deciding if we want to make it permanent. The co-collection pilot program is free to residents.&nbsp;</p></li>
<li><p class="font_8">All single-family homes will co-collect trash and food scraps in special color-coded trash bags provided by the city.&nbsp;</p></li>
<li><p class="font_8">If the city adopts the program permanently, we could realize savings of approximately $3.2 million over the first 4 years.&nbsp;</p></li>
<li><p class="font_8">If we do nothing, we can expect a $1 million cost increase to the tax rate.&nbsp;</p></li>
<li><p class="font_8">A permanent program has an environmental impact equal to adding 18,000 solar panels to West Haven homes each year.&nbsp;</p></li>
</ul>
<h3 class="font_3"><strong>It Will Be Easy to Participate&nbsp;</strong></h3>
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<li><p class="font_8">Residents will receive an allotment of free colored-coded bags for the duration of the pilot:&nbsp;</p></li>
<li><p class="font_8">1 green (8-gallon) food scrap bag per week for food scraps&nbsp;</p></li>
<li><p class="font_8">2 orange (15-gallon) tall kitchen bags per week for non-recyclable household trash&nbsp;</p></li>
<li><p class="font_8">Recycling of paper &amp; cardboard and bottles &amp; cans will continue as usual.&nbsp;</p></li>
<li><p class="font_8">Residents should tie and close each of the orange and green bags and place out for collection each week.&nbsp;</p></li>
<li><p class="font_8">The same truck will pick up the bags and bring them to a facility so that the food scraps can be captured and converted to green energy.&nbsp;</p></li>
<li><p class="font_8">Learn more at the links at the top of the page!</p></li>
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