China transfer committee abandons pay-as-you-throw proposal

by Mary Grow

When they met Jan. 13, China Transfer Station Committee members accepted the select board’s Dec. 29, 2025, directive to stop considering a PAYT (pay-as-you-throw; also PPB, pay per bag, or PPT, pay per throw) policy for the town transfer station (see the Jan. 8 issue of The Town Line, p. 2).

China voters have rejected such a plan in the past. Transfer station committee members considered it in December, as a matter of equity: people with more trash would pay more. Select board members received negative comments from residents.

Other Jan. 13 business included a discussion of commercial haulers who use China’s transfer station. Transfer station manager Thomas Maraggio said three collect in China.

In theory, they bring only China residents’ trash to the town facility. How much out-of-town trash they collect and bring in is unknown. Maraggio said some of the cardboard is not from China.

China charges commercial haulers three cents a pound for their waste, increased from two cents last year. Committee members would like to hear what other area towns charge.

Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood said the Kennebec Valley Council of Governments is hosting a Jan. 21 regional discussion on fees that committee members are welcome to attend.

Hapgood presented a preliminary calculation of the fee to be charged the Town of Palermo next year, under the contract between the two towns that provides for annual increases based on inflation.

The current charge is $43,000. Based on the January Consumer Price Index, Hapgood expects an increase of about $1,400.

The fee is in addition to the bag fee Palermo residents pay.

The next transfer committee meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m., Tuesday, Feb. 10, in the town office meeting room.