Pittsfield Announces Trash/Recycling Bin Disposal Opportunities

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Residents will have two opportunities to dispose of their old trash and recycling containers as the new toter system rolls out.

This includes a drop-off at Casella Waste Systems' transfer station, located at 500 Hubbard Ave., and a residential pickup within the next few weeks.

On Saturday, Nov. 9, residents can drop them off at the transfer station from 8 a.m. to noon. During the week of Nov. 11-15, old trash and recycling containers will be picked up curbside on the same day of scheduled collection.

"Casella will pick up any old trash and recycling containers, left at the curbside, by a separate truck and not by the trash or recycling truck," the city recently wrote in a press release.

"For residents who have backyard pickups, unless you indicate that you are keeping the old
container with a note, Casella will pick up your old container(s) the week of November 11."

The city encouraged residents to repurpose the containers if possible. This can mean selling or donating, using them for storage or yard waste, and using them as a compost bin.


The delivery of recycling toters began on Sept. 10 and trash toters began rolling out last week.  

In June, the council approved draft five-year contracts with Casella Waste Management for a new trash system that uses 48-gallon toters for recycling and trash.

The administration reached constituents through nine community meetings, mailers, print and digital media, radio, public access, and social media so they were informed about the new system.

During the meetings, attendees expressed concern about disposing of their old containers.  While this had not been considered early on in the process, the city made a plan.

Officials say Pittsfield's nearly 17,400 households produce about 1,800 pounds of trash each annually, generating close to 20 tons as a community. The system aims to reduce each household's waste to 1,370 pounds annually.

There is a potential for more than $500,000 in cost savings through the program, Mayor Peter Marchetti said, and most is through recyclables. Automation saves the city $80,000 per year and the city can see much larger savings if it steps up on recycling.

Additional resources for the new trash and collection system can be found on the toter program page on the city's website.


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Pittsfield BOH Condemns Two Homes

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Two more Pittsfield homes have been condemned.

The Board of Health voted Wednesday to condemn 86 John St. and 224 Fourth St. It came with a pang of sadness about demolishing homes during a housing crisis and a conversation about prevention.

"I would think many years ago this property had flowers in front of it," Chair Roberta Elliott said about the John Street home. "It was not like this."

Another member said it feels like capital punishment to the properties.

Both homes have no owner or heir who wants to take responsibility for them. The city has 43 open condemnation orders — about 20 residential.

"The condemnation can be as simple as no running water, no electricity," Code Enforcement Office Andrew Gagnon said. "So it is a spectrum of severity."

The four-bedroom John Street property has been sitting since 2018 and the Fourth Street multifamily has been subject to break-ins despite being secured and deemed unsafe by the Fire Department.

"It's unfortunate that so many properties on John Street have had to meet the wrecking ball," Gagnon said.

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