Big Changes Coming to Residential Trash, Recycling Collection

The town of Hampton will likely soon conduct a three-week trial period for a new residential recycling and trash collection policy in the hopes of determining whether several cost-saving and efficiency-maximizing changes will improve a program that currently has confusing pickups and fairness issues.

Hampton Public Works Director Keith Noyes outlined Monday a seven-point plan for the trial changes, which include no longer having collections on Fridays. If Hampton selectmen approve the plan during their next meeting on May 6 or during a future meeting, the changes would kick in on May 27 and end right before the start of the more-intensive summer collection schedule on June 17, according to Noyes.

Noyes said the changes would have no impact on Hampton Beach’s tourism-focused summer collection schedule. The regular summer schedule would begin as planned on June 17, at which point Noyes said he and his department would also use findings from the test schedule in the hopes of developing a better, more permanent offseason schedule change in the fall. 

“I want to say this is a work in progress,” said Noyes of the proposed changes. “I don’t not want to do it for fear that it won’t work… Like anything we’ll have to tweak it a little bit, but it’ll be worth it.”

The seven points of the plan are as follows, according to Noyes:

1. Change the total number of days of residential collections each week from five (Monday through Friday) to four (Monday through Thursday). Residents currently receiving curbside service on Fridays will be assigned a new day between Monday and Friday, and routes will be altered to reflect that redistribution. There will be no residential service on Fridays.
2. Change the overall number of collection trucks from two sidearm loaders and two rear loaders to two sidearm loaders and one rear loader. The sidearm loaders would each be manned by one driver, while the rear packers would be manned by one driver and two collectors.
3. Change the weekly schedule for each of the two sidearm truck drivers to four 10-hour days. These individuals would now work from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays.
4. Commercial collection will be performed on Fridays, and will be performed by one rear packer manned by one driver and two collectors.
5. Transfer the fourth collection truck driver displaced by the reduction in vehicles in use — which Noyes said would save on vehicle costs and maintenance — to the Hampton Highway Department full-time. This individual would also fill in as a backup for collection workers when necessary.
6. Adopt a new collection procedure for holidays and storms, in that the service for any day impacted by a holiday or storm cancellation would be bumped ahead to the following day. This means if a holiday or cancellation falls on a Monday, Monday customers would receive service on Tuesday, Tuesday service would occur on Wednesday, Wednesday service would occur on Thursday, and Thursday service would occur on Friday. Noyes said collection wouldn’t have to be conducted on the weekends or held to the following week — as is currently done — under this proposal because not having regular Friday runs would create a spare weekday.
7. Initiate these changes on May 27 for a three-week trial period in order to comply with negotiated labor contract conditions and the summer service schedule. Noyes said the changes outlined in point No. 3 can only be made for three weeks without renegotiating the contract for these drivers, which is why Noyes set the trial schedule period at three weeks. The contract also outlines separate terms for the summer season.

The Hampton Board of Selectmen elected Monday to delay the vote on the implementation of the trial changes one week in order to gather more information about various pieces of the plan and current service. 

Noyes said he developed his recommendations after receiving the findings of an independent evaluation performed of the routes and collection program. Noyes said the report, completed by David V. Hall, revealed “operational inefficiencies with the historical utilization of manpower and equipment,” which is why reductions in the number of days and trucks in service have been suggested.

Dick Nichols, the vice chairman of the Hampton Select Board, said Monday night he had a “positive reaction” to the proposed changes, even if they are on a trial basis and are “purely limited to the May to summer timeframe.”

Several other aspects of the solid waste and recycling collection program and associated town ordinance were also discussed Monday.

Those conversations included the fact that Selectman Mary-Louise Woolsey is “working on [drafting warrant articles calling for] amendments” to the outdated ordinance, and that Town Manager Fred Welch recommends the board propose other amendments to clarify and correct possible inconsistencies in enforcing refuse regulations.

Additional conversations are expected about these points at future board meetings.