Reading Residents Asked To Take Rubbish, Recycling Survey

READING, MA — The Town of Reading is asking homeowners to take a survey relating to the Town's proposed purchase of rubbish and recycling carts for every Reading household.

The 10-question survey is available online and asks respondents if two 64-gallon carts, one for rubbish and the other for recycling, would be sufficient for their needs. If not, respondents are asked if they would be interested in paying for a second cart for rubbish. Or, do respondents believe a 64-gallon cart is too big for rubbish?

Currently, Reading residents use their own containers for rubbish and recycling.

But at the April 24 Town Meeting, voters will be asked to approve the purchase of the rubbish and recycling carts for every household.

According to Article 13 of The Warrant: "To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate, borrow, transfer from available funds or otherwise provide a sum or sums of money to pay the costs of acquisition, management, and distribution of rubbish and recycling barrels for residences currently on the municipal rubbish program, including the payment of any and all other costs incidental and related to thereto, or take any other action with respect thereto."

Town officials said there are several advantages to the new, uniform rubbish and recycling carts.

"Advantages of the carts include mitigating rodent issues, rain filling up uncovered barrels, litter blowing around neighborhoods, and offering better aesthetics to the town on collection days," Town officials said in a statement.

Additionally, Town officials also said the approval of new, uniform rubbish and recycling carts for every household could have longer term advantages.

"This will better prepare the Town financially for when the current rubbish/recycling collection contract expires in 2026 and the town considers moving to automated collections," Town officials said.

Though officials have stressed the move to automatic collections is not a certainty, the presence of uniform carts is necessary in an automatic collection scenario.

"Automated trucks have a robotic arm that comes out and grabs the container and dumps it then puts it back down. The truck is able to be managed by one person, the driver, which is easier to staff, among other things," a Reading official said. "Because the carts are uniform, the streets are much neater on pick-up day and less recycling and refuse flies around streets that are blown out of bins."

Reading officials said automated trucks are becoming increasingly popular, and even are used in some nearby communities.