PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Mayor Peter Marchetti said the city needed to get on board with a new trash system before it was too late.

He shared information and reflections on the process with host Shawn Serre during Monday's episode of "One Pittsfield" on Pittsfield Community Television.

The city's 48-gallon toter system will roll out on Wednesday with the delivery of recycling containers for Friday routes and automated pickup begins two days later.

"I get it, this is changing the way that we've all done things, especially you and I. This is the way we've done things our whole entire life," Marchetti said to Serre.

"In fact, when I was a kid, the garbage man picked up your garbage at the back steps and put the pails back, right? So we don't have that anymore for obvious reasons and I think it's time to find new, innovative ways that have already been created for us to find the cash savings."

He explained that this isn't a new conversation for the city in "any way, shape, or form," since it goes back more than 15 years.

"We know that the cost of collecting trash and disposing of recyclables continue to skyrocket, and we need to find a way to make it through," he said.

"And we've been talking toters for a really long time in the city's history."

In 2018, after a series of community meetings for a toter proposal, former Mayor Linda Tyer trashed the plan that would have utilized 45-gallon containers for trash and 96-gallon containers for single-stream recycling.

She recognized that many still had "unresolved questions and concerns about the plan and its impact on the community."

Three years later, the City Council rejected a pay-as-you-throw proposal brought forward by (then President) Marchetti and Councilor at Large Earl Persip III. The program would have contracted with WasteZero, providing residents with 104 15-gallon bags free each year and any additional bags would be purchased for $1.50 per 30-gallon bag and $0.80 per 15-gallon bag.

Marchetti noted that this was "really not well received."

In June, the council approved draft five-year contracts with Casella Waste Management for the new trash system. It was a victory for the first-term mayor, who was able to push through in six months a new waste pickup model that had eluded his predecessors.

"It's the opportunity for the city to get on board before it's too late to get on board," he said.