Town Makes Decision on Solid Waste Disposal

At the recommendation of its solid waste department head, the town of Windham has extended its solid waste contract with Covanta Energy Corporation to 2017.

Dave Poulson presented the proposal to the Board of Selectmen on June 25. The decision to stick with Covanta, located in Haverhill, Mass., will waive the bid process.

The contract extension will be at a fixed flat-rate tipping fee of $72 per ton each year.

In a written memo to the Board of Selectmen, Poulson explained the savings with the flat-rate fee.

"Using our current annual tipping free increases of $2/ton/year, this fixed rate contract would save approximately $9/ton over the five years," he said.

Poulson added that the town average of 4,500 tons of municipal solid waste each year would add up to approximately $40,500 in savings over the five years.

"This is an extremely good proposal and I would doubt the tipping fee and disposal location could be bettered by any other vendor," Poulson said.

The pull charge for Covanta is $102 per hour.

Selectman Roger Hohenberger said that he thought it was great that the town held out and was able to pick up a five-year extension at no increase. He also agreed that Coventa would be the best deal out there for the town.

The new contract will take effect on Jan. 1, 2013.

In October, for five years, sticking with Integrated Paper Recyclers of North Andover, Mass.