Alot every home large recycle barrels that are ther responsibility of the homeowner to maintain. also give one very small trash barrell. Any trash that doesn't fit in the barrel has to go in a Malden trash bag.

Here is a suggestion:
Let's form a trash community of "real" Malden residents better yet the homeowners.
Involve the people that are impacted not just the politicians.
Put our heads “together” and look at what other communities are doing.
Have the “RESIDENTS” vote. People can no longer (they still will) complain if the majority rules.
As I resident I want to be heard, not just have decisions made for me.
I am certain there is much better solution than those ridiculous blue bags.
I voted for Mayor Christenson because I know he wants to improve the city.

I like the way that Medford supply trash bins & recyled bins and the trucks can pick up the barrell easily. If we are going to stick with the blue bags then I would like to see the money for these bags go toward summer programs for the schools & elderly. Time to see where this "extra" cash is going.

I agree, if we have it like Medford and give each home a large barrel, use that, if they go over then yes use a blue bag, but each week when I look out and see 3-4 bags all I see is $8./ week x 52 weeks a year =$468. I do recycle and will continue to do so, I agree with TG's Mom...It is time to see where all of our money for these foolish blue bags are going. Also there is nothing worse than spending money on bags that rip when you go to use them....very very cheap.

I feel that the way things are now - "trash day" is an ABSOLUTE DISASTER! The reason for the overflowing recycle bins is that residents are trying to get whatever they can in them REGARDLESS of whether or not it is recyclable material just so they do NOT have to pay to throw it out in a blue bag! This is why the articles that really should be considered TRASH are blowing around our streets! I have also seen trash in black/brown trash bags - trash that must have been "REJECTED" on Trash Day - on people's lawns and on their porches...just sitting there. NOT GOOD! This whole idea, I feel, is bad as many, many people across the city are holding on to trash that they would otherwise just throw in any trash bag - if they didn't have to pay for a blue bag - and put it out on the curb! If I got rewarded for recycling -GREAT - but I truly believe that the city itself needs to obtain revenue, if at all possible (or maximize the revenue obtained if we are currently obtaining revenue), for our recycling so that we could do away with the blue bags all together! Would like to be able to put out whatever I have to dispose of and not have to worry whether or not it will still be there on Tuesday evening - REJECTED! MALDEN WOULD BE A MUCH CLEANER PLACE!

While I don't live in Malden and can't speak for what's best for Maldonians, I can say that I really appreciate the giant blue single-stream (closed-top) recycling barrels we have in Jamaica Plain. We share one with the other two apartments in my three-family apartment building, and it accepts so many different kinds of recyclables it's packed every week.

Again, people....the waste company has an iron-clad contract with the city of Malden. You'll just end up wasting even more money in litigation trying to break the contract. When disposal companies like BFI and Waste Management go to court....they ALWAYS win! What makes me laugh is that Malden actually pays Mr. Knox a salary to go around snooping in your trash. Why not 'RECYCLE' his employment, and let the waste company reject trash that doesn't belong on the curb. When they start leaving stuff behind that doesn't belong curb side, people will change their attitudes in a hurry :)

All I have to say is that the "Blue Bag", pay as you go system IS NOT WORKING. Just take a ride around town and you can see trash blown everywhere. City trash bins that are placed on city property are over flowing with trash. They can't empty them fast enough before they are filled once again. On an other note, you don't find many soda cans or bottles in the street. Maybe because they have a return deposit and there are people that will actual pick thru your trash to retrieve them.

I really don't mind them because if you recycle there is not much other waste for the Bags. I live in a neighborhood where mattresses are thrown out constantly. What does that tell you. You can tell when you see 6-10 bags a week how many people are living in a house. Also the Toilets, Stoves, and furniture is going out weekly. Kind of says that many people are living in houses. Why should familys of one to three people have to pay for people who are housing nine to fifteen and even more under one roof. I know a lot of people from Medford and they hate the large barrels. Keep the bags, my two cents. Start fining all these un-registered cars and trucks that are in yards. Big fire hazards here and I can't believe that Malden does nothing about it. Where have the street cleaners been. You mind as well take the sign's down for street cleaning day's because I have not seen one in month's. We are paying enough RE Tax and really nothing to show for it.

Please learn from neighborhood towns, like Medford, Melrose.

First, the blue bags are way to expensive and of poor quality, there, got that off my chest. I like Medfords plan, Large barrels for trash, smaller for recycle I believe, as someone mention above, maybe use blue bags for your over flow.

Medford's recycling barrels are the SAME size as their trash barrels!

I live in Medford and work in Malden and I can tell you that both trash systems stink. The recycle bins are much bigger than the barrels and if the lid on the barrel doesn't close all the way because of too much trash they won't always take it. Two of those large 2 dollar Malden bags won't fit in the barrel. I heard we can buy green Medford bags or rent (not buy) an extra barrel for something like 100 dollars a year.

We can go back to burning our trash. Okay, before anyone starts, I'm just kidding.

As long as everyone continues to recycle (malden gets money for recycling) then why not let the residents use their choice of trash bags they are all bio degradeable.Or is the reason you continue to use the blue bags is someone in the city is benefiting from this.

Since no one is brave enough to ask where the money goes that is collected from purchasing the blue bags, looks like I will be the one to ask! Let you know what I'm told.

Here in my Linden neighborhood, when we started the PAYT, people were stockpiling trash in their backyards and storage sheds. Then we ended up with these rats! Then I notice this one little cat having tons of litters, now we have feral cats all over, thought that might be a good thing, till saw another rat the other day. I have no idea what the answer may be but the blue bags are terrible. They are poor quality and rip every time. The barrels sound better to me. And the trash men have been taking bags that are clearly not Malden bags. There is no rhyme or reason to any of this.

I have a suggestion to the city: mail out flyers to every household in Malden, printed in different languages, instructing people on how to dispose of their trash and recycle. I think some residents in the city, who are transients or recently moved-in tenants, are not familiar with the trash/recycling procedures of Malden, and they need to be educated on that.

I am totally against the blue bag system, I have been since the implementation. It turns my stomach every Sunday night as I prepare my "Official Trash of Malden" for pick up....as I wrestle my 30 gallon Glad trash bag into a 33 gallon "Offical Trash of Malden" bag I curse Mayor Howard and his minions. You can't just use the blue bag because of it's poor quality. If you do, you would have trash all over the house just getting it out the door. Why doesn't the city just admit this PAYT prorgam is a big mistake, cancel it ASAP, revisit it and come up with something better. I too am very disgusted by the condition of our streets. The whole city has become one big trash heap! Get some pride City Hall and cancel this rediculous program immediately! You know who is making all the money on the PAYT program? The guy who makes the bags....think about it. How much does it actually cost to produce one of those cheap plastic bags?

The current system does work in city hall's view. I agree with Marc.
One week, trash was put in bags or barrels. The next week, Malden bags that cost a dollar or two were required. Everyone Immediately knew how to recycle! No money spent on education in multiple languages, nothing at all. Once people had to pay a dollar for a bag they knew how to recycle. Impressive!

Malden is not a mess because of the blue bags. Malden was littered before the blue bags. There is dumping now, yes.

Medford's program states that if a barrel is lost or damaged the resident has to pay 150.00 dollars for a new barrel. Do you think people who dump and litter will pay 150.00 dollars for a new barrel when theirs is lost or broken? I think they will steal yours.

Melrose residents pay 160.00 a year on top of residential taxes for trash pickup. Melrose has a majority of residential owners and they willing recycle. Do you spend 160.00 dollars a year on bags? I agree that residential owners already pay for trash pickup but Malden is about 29 percent residential owners. The blue bags get the majority renters paying and recycling too. That is what is fair about it.

The funny part is all the money city hall thought they would get in bag purchases. They did not think people would recycle so much and visions of dollar signs danced in their heads.

I don't believe the majority of renters pay for their trash. Those apts. with 6 or more units require a dumpster. No blue bag sales there. Our Mayor lives in a condo and has never had to worry about his trash disposal. He appears to be the type who would recycle but I don't believe many apartment buildings offer the option to recycle and just want everything to go into the dumpster.

My question is: what happened to the Gary Christenson who signed the petition I had for the question to go on the ballot by the MTFA? That ballot question brought out as many people who came out for this last Mayoral election. The message was loud and clear the citizens did not want this tax. Something happened to him on the way to the Mayor's Office.

I agree we need incentive to recycle more to cut down on the tonnage we pay for. How is it we can put out a couch or mattress or 30 bags of yard waste for free but cannot have a regular size trash barrel for free? It really isn't about the tonnage if we are allowed couches etc. The city doesn't make any money on the recyclables, RJM makes the money there in return for the their low charge to us for the tonnage we do dispose of. Makes you think, huh?

Why hasn't our Mayor spoken to the MTFA for their input if he is to make any change other than to eliminate the blue bag??

If I am home tonight I'll be glad to do so. In the past (since his election) he has been asked about PAYT and now talks about smaller bags in smaller quantities! That doesn't sound like someone who is on the "eliminate the blue bag tax" bandwagon anymore!

Fc, please stop whining about what the renters who live in apartment buildings have to pay for. Of course they are paying as the money the landlord has to dish out to private dumpster companies is taken from their monthly rent. Tell me you're not that naive, please.

Chris, I think it's about time we picked a new topic here...this one is getting old. Fact people: the city signed a long term contract with JRM. The blue bags have NOTHING to do with JRM's contractual obligations. All JRM is responsible for is picking up the trash on a scheduled basis. If the city of Malden wants to attempt to 'renegotiate' the current contract, then fine. But JRM is under no obligation to change the current terms as they are. JRM has deeper pockets than the city of Malden, and they aren't full of trash either. I say, let's eliminate Mr. Knox's position of being the solid waste inspector (like we really need that in the first place) make property owners responsible for solid waste like drywall, appliances, etc, that DOESN'T belong in the trash to begin with!. Then when the property owners don't comply, fine the hell out of them...guaranteed they will start conforming when you hit them where it hurts...in the wallet! Now, let's move on people, to something more important, like, where am I going to be able to get an organic chocolate chip muffin in Malden? :)

From all the posts here it seems we're stuck with the bags for some time to come, the alternatives aren't any better.

mmmmmm.....organic chocolate chip muffins sound good. but a cranberry orange sounds better. washed down with nice hot cup of hazelnut coffee. ah the local flavor. the hell with the whole trash issue. count your blessings hopefully you are all well. 8)

You fellas may not want to discuss the trash tax but those of us who number over 10,000 are still steamed over the system we had rammed down our throats. Maybe you are not in charge of deciding which bucket to toss every bit of trash you come across every day. Someone else does that for you. Maybe you're not having to decide over trash bags or cereal, bread and milk. Or tickets to a movie. Or some other $20 purchase which seems less wasteful than flimsy bags to get rid of non-recyclables.

Marc and Paul: I suggest you should have a bran muffin instead.

Annie.....we have not been on the same page on many issues but, here we stand together arm and arm 10,000 strong. I dislike having to buy the bags too. A better system MUST be developed. What the better system is, I just know. I'm glad it's not my job to figure out a replacement for the current system. If I had it in me (and the time) I would attend council meetings and when the open the floor to public comment I would nicely step up and just ask, "How are we making out with a better system for trash and recycling in the city" Short and sweet. I do believe the current mayor is trying to (as I say often) "build a better mouse trap" that will be fair to the residents yet affordable to the city. Hope you are well Annie. 8)

Marc: I am well, thank you. I made the time and put in the effort for many years to sit in council and committee meetings and cannot believe we have not progressed to a point where the voice of the people is listened to and acted upon. You made me laugh out loud when you mention opening the floor to public comment! Clearly you don't know how this council works-you are not allowed to speak a word and would be tossed out if you were to "nicely step up and just ask, "How are we making out with a better system for trash and recycling in the city" short and sweet" LOL The current Mayor signed my petition to eliminate the bags and is doing the old flip-flop! He hasn't had the MTFA involved yet which makes me wonder why the group hasn't been at the table from the beginning if he is serious about listening to the voice of the people and building a "better mouse trap"?

Bobby: Maybe your home is spacious enough to have 3 bins next to each other scattered around to make your trash tossing easier and nothing to think about. I have to run around to different spots depending upon whether it is a tissue or a plastic whatever. Great exercise but very annoying! I am not giving this city one extra dime as they mismanage the money they are given already.

DannyBoy: Don't forget about the $500,000 a year for 3 years which we lost out on a grant for the MPD when Chief Coye was in charge-due to our having less crime (!) than the surrounding cities who all got that money. Where did we get the money from to make up the difference? Smoke and mirrors...

To David Mokal,

Do I need to post the definition of a 'binding' contract? Seriously?

Well Done with this Topic Its getting to be a P'ing contest. Hell with the trash too old to care. Maybe when we are Knee deep in rubbish and loaded with Rats someone may wakey wakey. Gonna have me a Cup of Italian Roast coffee and a bran muffin. This is like battle of the brain waves haaaaaaaaaa! Too many people are looking down a toilet paper roll and dont get the BIG PICTURE