Lynn looks to ink big trash deal

LYNN – A truck with a mechanical arm could be scooping up and emptying trash and recycling containers placed in front of local residents? homes as early as next spring.?We?re in the process of negotiating that with the city,” Waste Management public sector representative Mike Wall said Monday of negotiations between his company and the administration of Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy.Wall said Waste Management negotiated automated trash collection with Medford officials three years ago. The company boosted recycling participation of more than 20,000 Medford households by 100 percent and reduced trash generated in the city by 30 percent.A similar agreement, which will affect the trash and recyclable items generated by Lynn?s 27,000 households, will not be determined until the city signs an extension or new trash hauling contract with Waste Management and then implements automated pickup.?By spring, 2014, there will be automated collection,” Kennedy said during last Wednesday?s Lynn Community Association campaign forum.Current trash collection rules require residents to place covered trash barrels curbside on designated collection days as well as bins marked with city “recycle” stickers and stuffed with plastic, metal and paper. Waste Management dispatches trucks along city collection routes and company crews pick up and dump curbside bins by hand.Under automated collection, each city household will get a 64-gallon trash bin and 96-gallon recycling bin. Homeowners will place the bins curbside on collection days and Wall said an “automated side load truck” will drive by and scoop up and empty bins using a mechanical arm.?If need be, the operator will manipulate the bins to curbside and then grab them with the arm,” Wall said.Kennedy said the bins will be provided free to residents and Wall said multi-family and large residential building collections will probably involve large trash bins and recycling bins instead of assigning individual bins to apartment or condominium owners.?Whatever is more convenient for their situation, we?d work out those details,” Wall said.The city?s contract with Waste Management expires next June. The city budget includes $5.2 million for trash pick up – an 18 percent increase in hauling costs since 2010. City officials last year said trash disposed at the RESCO incinerator in Saugus cost the city an additional $2.8 million.During last week?s forum, Kennedy said automated trash pickup could significantly reduce the city?s current $74 per ton RESCO disposal cost by boosting household recycling and reducing trash disposal.Ward 3 City Councilor Darren Cyr said councilors have “always favored automated collection” and want to find out the details of the new pact Kennedy is negotiating with Waste Management.?It makes sense to have a 64-gallon trash barrel and enforce recycling,” Cyr said.