Rochester adding $1.75 trash bags for residents to use for overflow garbage

ROCHESTER — While the city has a contract with Waste Management for weekly trash pickup, the City Council passed a new measure at its Tuesday meeting to handle overflow trash.

Finance director Mark Sullivan presented the council with a proposal to offer city designated trash bags, to be sold for $1.75 at retail locations throughout the city, similar to what Dover and Somersworth do already. Residents will use the bags for trash that does not fit in the trash barrels provided by the city and Waste Management and must deliver the overflow bags to the landfill themselves.

"Ther current arrangement with Waste Management requires us to have overflow trash that is brought to the Turnkey facility to have city stickers attached to the bag," said Sullivan. "The stickers are sold at City Hall. We are proposing bags that residents purchase."

Overflow garbage that would be placed in the bags could only be normal household trash. Sullivan said other items taken by the dump like bulky items (furniture, etc.) are not included in the plan.

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The council passed the resolution. The sticker system will be phased out.

"The stickers cost $1.75," said City Manager Katie Ambrose. "We do not have a cutoff date established yet and will publicize through our public information channels and at the tax office once one is set."

Sullivan said the bags will also cost $1.75 each. They will be sold at the two Market Basket stores and the two Hannaford locations in the city, sold in packs of five.

This article originally appeared on Fosters Daily Democrat: Rochester adding $1.75 trash bags for residents to use for overflow garbage