In a step towards sustainability, Guilford and Madison are excited to announce the launch of its new Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) waste management system, effective Monday, Nov. 4. This change aims to make the transfer station more convenient, reduce waste, promote recycling, and ensure that residents only pay for the trash they generate.

Under the new PAYT system, residents will purchase light blue, town-official trash bags, which will be available at designated retail locations throughout Guilford and Madison. The revenue from these bags will cover the disposal of household waste. This is a change from the $9 per 100-pound system currently used at the transfer station. Now, residents will pay per bag to dispose of household waste.

PAYT programs have been proven to significantly reduce waste. By encouraging residents to be mindful of their trash, the system promotes recycling and composting, helping to divert waste from landfills and reduce the town’s environmental footprint.

PAYT ensures that residents pay only for the waste they produce, making the system fairer for everyone. Households that reduce, reuse, and recycle will see tangible savings on their waste disposal costs.

The more people recycle and compost, the less trash bags they will use. Single Stream Recycling & food scrap drop-off are services offered for free at the transfer station. We encourage residents to save money on trash bags by using these other outlets for waste. Green bags for food scrap collection will also be for sale at retailers to support at-home food scrap separation. Food scrap bags are optional for dropoff (tipping directly into the bin is okay), but only the official green food scrap bags will be allowed as of Nov. 4.

For the towns, the PAYT system helps control waste management costs. The cost of trash disposal is projected to skyrocket in the next few years—reducing trash now helps the towns plan for these rising costs.

Residents will be required to dispose of their household waste in the town-authorized bags, which come in various sizes to suit different needs. Prices are as follows:

15 Gallon: $1.50 per bag, Light Blue Bag

33 Gallon: $3 per bag, Light Blue Bag

8 Gallon Food Scrap bag: $0.20 per bag, Green Bag

These bags will be available for purchase at local retailers in Guilford and Madison, locations to be announced soon, ensuring easy access for all residents.

The Boards of Selectmen of Guilford and Madison endorsed this change to make waste disposal fairer, and to support our towns’ commitments to sustainability.

Residents are encouraged to visit the town’s website soon for more information on the PAYT program, including a detailed list of authorized bag sizes, prices, and retail locations.

Tickets in circulation for the transfer station are no longer being sold and cannot be used for trash disposal after Nov. 4, and will be phased out for other uses at the transfer station by Dec. 31.