This year, Greenwood and Woodstock will vote at their annual town meetings on whether to adopt a pay-per-bag policy for household trash. This policy is proven to reduce trash, encourage recycling and composting in the 140 communities in Maine that have it. Fryeburg is a good example.

The 2008 G&W Transfer Station budget includes $73,000 for disposing of municipal solid waste, which costs $99 per ton. In contrast, recycling is paid for on a population basis of approximately $2.61 per person for 2008 – $5,515 for the towns combined – and does not increase as we recycle more.

Every ton taken from the waste stream and recycled saves $99. In 2006, G&W recycled 128.75 tons; in 2007, 113.33 tons. We are going in the wrong direction, and spending too many tax dollars.

Pay-per-bag virtually eliminates the $73,000 appropriation from the property tax commitment. Instead, MSW costs are covered by citizens purchasing designated trash bags.

Whatever each household does to increase recycling or composting will reduce the number of G&W trash bags they need. No one will be forced to recycle, but those who don’t remove recyclables from their household trash have to buy more bags.

Pay-per-bag fairly allocates MSW costs in proportion to how much trash each household generates. It provides a strong incentive for people to reduce trash and recycle. And it excludes out-of-town trash, since only pre-purchased G&W bags would go into the compactor.

Wayne Hakala, Greenwood

Steve Bies, Woodstock

Editor’s note: Hakala is a Greenwood selectman.