Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT)

hand holding trash bag to the right of white text that reads "Pay as you throw (PAYT). Reduce waste, save money"

The Town of Dedham is exploring the implementation of a Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) trash program as part of the Town's operating budget to stabilize future costs, reduce waste tonnage, and promote environmental sustainability while maintaining curbside collection for residents. Under the PAYT system, residents will only pay for the amount of trash they generate, encouraging waste reduction and increased recycling.

While this proposed trash program will not be included in the Town Manager's FY26 Recommended Budget, the Town will develop public education campaigns that aim to provide resources and strategies to help reduce overall waste, increase recycling, and provide information about other opportunities to safely dispose of trash and household items. The Town will be hosting additional community engagement events to maintain these open lines of communication and hope you will join us. Please stay tuned for more information as those events are scheduled.

Why PAYT?

Waste management costs continue to rise nationwide and remain unpredictable (as we have seen in recent years), resulting in significant increases to operating costs for this critical service paid for by you, the taxpayers. The PAYT model is a proactive approach to protect against future market fluctuations and price increases while providing a fairer and more sustainable trash and recycling program (as compared to both flat-rate systems or private contracts.) The PAYT model also aligns with Dedham's broader sustainability goals, helping to reduce our overall waste tonnage while maintaining efficient and reliable service delivery.

What’s Next?

The Town will be sharing information related to this proposed program model, including answers to questions from the community, public education materials, and will gather feedback about the proposed program, including potential implementation options, to ensure a future program, if approved, meets the needs of the community. We encourage all residents to participate and share their thoughts as we move toward a more sustainable waste management solution for Dedham.

Stay tuned for future meeting dates and program announcements!

The Town of Dedham is exploring the implementation of a Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) trash program as part of the Town's operating budget to stabilize future costs, reduce waste tonnage, and promote environmental sustainability while maintaining curbside collection for residents. Under the PAYT system, residents will only pay for the amount of trash they generate, encouraging waste reduction and increased recycling.

While this proposed trash program will not be included in the Town Manager's FY26 Recommended Budget, the Town will develop public education campaigns that aim to provide resources and strategies to help reduce overall waste, increase recycling, and provide information about other opportunities to safely dispose of trash and household items. The Town will be hosting additional community engagement events to maintain these open lines of communication and hope you will join us. Please stay tuned for more information as those events are scheduled.

Why PAYT?

Waste management costs continue to rise nationwide and remain unpredictable (as we have seen in recent years), resulting in significant increases to operating costs for this critical service paid for by you, the taxpayers. The PAYT model is a proactive approach to protect against future market fluctuations and price increases while providing a fairer and more sustainable trash and recycling program (as compared to both flat-rate systems or private contracts.) The PAYT model also aligns with Dedham's broader sustainability goals, helping to reduce our overall waste tonnage while maintaining efficient and reliable service delivery.

What’s Next?

The Town will be sharing information related to this proposed program model, including answers to questions from the community, public education materials, and will gather feedback about the proposed program, including potential implementation options, to ensure a future program, if approved, meets the needs of the community. We encourage all residents to participate and share their thoughts as we move toward a more sustainable waste management solution for Dedham.

Stay tuned for future meeting dates and program announcements!

  • Public Info Session - Thank you for joining us!

    We would like to take this opportunity to thank the more than 200 residents who were able to attend and participate in our Public Information Session on Wednesday evening where the Town presented information about a proposed Pay As You Throw (PAYT) waste management program. If you were unable to join us, please know that the conversation is ongoing and there is still time to get involved.

    While this proposed trash program will not be included in the Town Manager's FY26 Recommended Budget, the Town will develop public education campaigns that aim to provide resources and strategies to help reduce overall waste, increase recycling, and provide information about other opportunities to safely dispose of trash and household items. The Town will be hosting additional community engagement events to maintain these open lines of communication and hope you will join us. Please stay tuned for more information as those events are scheduled.

    We value your voice, and whether you were able to attend or not, we encourage you to submit any input and questions you may have (links and opportunities outlined below.)

    Thank you once again for your support and participation. If you have any questions or need more information, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

    Please use the following links to access copies of materials, event recording, and our dedicated phone number to record your questions and feedback:

  • Public Info Session to Discuss Proposed PAYT Program

    Wednesday, February 12, 2025 at 6:30PM

    Join us via Zoom or in-person at the Public Safety Building for a public information session about a proposed waste management program, known as Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT). This public information session will provide an overview of the proposed program, what it includes, financial projections with and without the proposed program, the current state of the waste management industry, and ways to stay engaged as we continue to research possible program options.

    Join via Zoom: https://www.dedham-ma.gov/?splash=https%3a%2f%2fus06web.zoom.us%2fj%2f82116113859

    If you are unable to attend, all materials and recordings from the meeting will be posted on this page and shared via the Town's email notification system.

Page last updated: 11 Mar 2025, 03:08 PM