How to Talk About Pay-as-You-ThrowStephen Lisauskas
March 30, 2015
Copyright © 2015 WasteZero2
The Challenge: Bridging Policy and Politics
Widely Accepted as aSuccessful Policy Option…
…But Still Politically Challenging to Move Through the Approval Process
There can be a disconnect between the policy and the politics of pay-as-you-throw.
The good news: This is a problem with a solution.
It’s a New Fee!
It Looks Hard!
I Don’tLike Change!
~150 Programs Across
Massachusetts
44% Average MSW Decrease
(Bag-Based Programs)
Copyright © 2015 WasteZero3
The Solution: Communication & Education
Overcoming the political challenge of pay-as-you-throw requires clear, thought-out communication to residents—both on how PAYT will help them and on how it will work.
Explaining Operational
Benefits
Explaining Ease
of Use
Explaining FinancialBenefits
Explaining Environmental
Benefits
Educationand
Outreach
Explainingthe Problem
Copyright © 2015 WasteZero4
Explaining the Problem
The first step in talking about pay-as-you-throw is explaining the context. People need to understand there is a problem that requires us to change the status quo.
Explaining Operational
Benefits
Explaining Ease
of Use
Explaining FinancialBenefits
Explaining Environmental
Benefits
Educationand
Outreach
Explainingthe Problem
1. The overall problem
2. How their community is involved in the problem
3. How the audience and their neighbors are involved
Copyright © 2015 WasteZero5
Disposal Options Have Disappeared, For Good and Bad
302: Number of operating landfills 30 years ago in MA
16: Number in 2012
11: Number today
6: Number by 2020, per DEP predictions
Accept trash from host communities only
Possible Landfill Locations in 2020 (all require permit extensions) Bourne Carver Dartmouth Middleborough Nantucket Westminster
Landfills Operating in Massachusetts - 2014
Copyright © 2015 WasteZero6
Peabody Plymouth Taunton Chicopee Weymouth Revere Methuen Barnstable Statewide PAYT -
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
1,000
Solid Waste in Comparison Communities+/- 5,000 population, 2013 data, pounds of trash per person
served
The Numbers – Solid Waste
Peabody residents pay to dispose of more solid waste than other communities
Medford excluded due to apparent data error
Copyright © 2015 WasteZero7
Explaining the Problem
The first step in talking about pay-as-you-throw is explaining the context. People need to understand there is a problem that requires us to change the status quo.
Explaining Operational
Benefits
Explaining Ease
of Use
Explaining FinancialBenefits
Explaining Environmental
Benefits
Educationand
Outreach
Explainingthe Problem
2013 % Composition
Estimated Total (tons)
Beverly BOTE (lbs)
Food Waste 18.6% 878,289 4,325,244 Paper 14.6% 687,465 3,395,084 Textiles 5.2% 246,578 1,209,208 Plastic (non-film) 5.0% 236,320 1,162,700 Plastic Film 2.0% 94,455 465,080 Metal 2.4% 112,963 558,096 Glass 1.4% 68,228 325,556 Total 49.2% 2,324,298 11,440,968
Example—
40,000-resident city
Copyright © 2015 WasteZero8
Explaining the Problem
The first step in talking about pay-as-you-throw is explaining the context. People need to understand there is a problem that requires us to change the status quo.
Explaining Operational
Benefits
Explaining Ease
of Use
Explaining FinancialBenefits
Explaining Environmental
Benefits
Educationand
Outreach
Explainingthe Problem
Pay Set Amount Regardless of UsePay Based on Use
ElectricityWater Gas
Garbage
Conserved Wasted
Copyright © 2015 WasteZero9
Explaining Financial Benefits
Residents must also understand the financial impact—usually positive—that pay-as-you-throw will have on them.
Explaining Operational
Benefits
Explaining Ease
of Use
Explaining FinancialBenefits
Explaining Environmental
Benefits
Educationand
Outreach
Explainingthe Problem
Before PAYT With PAYT0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
Baseline Trash Cost
Baseline Trash Cost
Spending on Bags
Disposal Sav-ings
Hous
ehol
d Sp
endi
ngon
Gar
bage
When an existing fee is being reduced,
to be replaced by spending on bags…
… Show that household costscan stay stable
1
Copyright © 2015 WasteZero10
Explaining Financial Benefits
Residents must also understand the financial impact—usually positive—that pay-as-you-throw will have on them.
Explaining Operational
Benefits
Explaining Ease
of Use
Explaining FinancialBenefits
Explaining Environmental
Benefits
Educationand
Outreach
Explainingthe Problem
Before PAYT With PAYT0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
Baseline Trash Cost
Baseline Trash Cost
Disposal Sav-ings
Spending on Bags
Hous
ehol
d Sp
endi
ngon
Gar
bage
… Show concretely what the new
household costswill be used to fund
Example: Curbside Recycling
2 When PAYT is being used fund other
municipal goals…
Copyright © 2015 WasteZero11
Explaining Financial Benefits
Residents must also understand the financial impact—usually positive—that pay-as-you-throw will have on them.
Explaining Operational
Benefits
Explaining Ease
of Use
Explaining FinancialBenefits
Explaining Environmental
Benefits
Educationand
Outreach
Explainingthe Problem
1. Increase Taxesto Generate Revenue
2. Use PAYTto Generate Revenue
$0.00
$0.25
$0.50
$0.75
$1.00
ContributionFrom Resi-
dents ContributionFrom Resi-
dents
Disposal Sav-ings
OR… Show that PAYT is a more efficient way
to meet budget goals because of
decreased disposal spending
3 When PAYT is being used in place of a
tax increase…
Copyright © 2015 WasteZero12
Explaining Operational Benefits
Pay-as-you-throw brings significant, but often uncommunicated, operational benefits to the communities that implement it.
Explaining Operational
Benefits
Explaining Ease
of Use
Explaining FinancialBenefits
Explaining Environmental
Benefits
Educationand
Outreach
Explainingthe Problem
Having less garbage to collect means
quicker—and sometimes fewer—
routes…
…Enabling public works staff to perform other
municipal services
Bulky Item Pickup
Yard Waste Collection Road Repairs
Copyright © 2015 WasteZero13
Explaining Environmental Benefits
Residents who are interested in sustainability may be motivated by pay-as-you-throw’s positive impact on their community’s environmental footprint.
Explaining Operational
Benefits
Explaining Ease
of Use
Explaining FinancialBenefits
Explaining Environmental
Benefits
Educationand
Outreach
Explainingthe Problem
Annual Carbon Emissions Savings—Like Taking Away…
5,000 Passenger Vehicles
2,859,000 Gallons of Gasoline
Annual Energy Savings—Like Capturing the Energy From…
21,000 Rooftop
Solar Arrays
1,500Single-Family
Houses
Example—
90,000-resident city
Copyright © 2015 WasteZero14
Explaining Ease of Use
Pay-as-you-throw is easy to take part in, usually no change in household operations is required. This is another point that is often lost. Big results require big changes, right?
Explaining Operational
Benefits
Explaining Ease
of Use
Explaining FinancialBenefits
Explaining Environmental
Benefits
Educationand
Outreach
Explainingthe Problem
Purchase Trash Bags at Store
Dispose of Trash Bagsin the Same Manner as Before PAYT
Curb Transfer Station
Cart
Average:1.2 large bagsper household
per week
1 2
Copyright © 2015 WasteZero15
Education and Outreach
A comprehensive resident education campaign incorporating information about the benefits of PAYT and answering any operational questions is also key.
Explaining Operational
Benefits
Explaining Ease
of Use
Explaining FinancialBenefits
Explaining Environmental
Benefits
Educationand
Outreach
Explainingthe Problem
Copyright © 2015 WasteZero16
Timing
Pre-Implementation Support Ongoing Support
CommunityOutreach Meetings
Program Design and
MessageDevelopment
Resident Education Materials
Resident-Facing Web Site
Part of how to talk about pay-as-you-throw is also when and where to talk aboutpay-as-you-throw. This is true both before and after implementation.
When municipal leaders are armed with messages that resonate with residents, they can make policy ideas into political reality.