The following is the full content from The Falmouth Enterprise article published on 3/27/26, pages 1 & 11, entitled, “Falmouth To Roll Out Standardized Trash Carts For All Residents Under New Waste Contract”. Please note paragraph 3 which mentions the choice of sizes available.
The town’s current curbside trash and recycling contract is set to expire in June 2027, but a proposed five-year extension with its current waste hauler, Nauset Disposal, would bring a major change for residents: standardized trash carts to match the recycling carts households already use.
If approved, the new system would expand the town’s existing cart-based approach—introduced for recycling in 2022—to include trash collection as well, creating a fully automated, uniform system for residents. Town Manager Michael Renshaw said his office is expected to execute the contract extension.
Under the proposal, presented to the Select Board at its meeting on Monday, March 23, all current and future customers serviced under the contract would receive a 64-gallon trash cart as the standard option. Residents would also have the ability to request a smaller 32-gallon cart or a larger 95-gallon version based on household needs. Recycling service would continue using carts, with 95-gallon containers as the default, though some residents—by permission from the town—could receive 64- or 32-gallon carts, according to the contract.
The town first introduced wheeled recycling carts in 2022, funded at the November 2021 Town Meeting. Those containers are compatible with automated pickup systems and are already in use across the community. Under the proposed contract, however, “All existing wheeled-cart trash containers and recycling containers owned by the Town are hereby transferred, in their current condition and location, to the sole ownership of the Contractor, and Contractor accepts such transfer.”
The biggest change for residents would be the addition of standardized trash carts and a shift in responsibility for cart upkeep. Under the new agreement, all carts—both trash and recycling—would be owned, maintained, serviced and replaced by the contractor. Currently, the Department of Public Works maintains the town’s recycling carts, and Department of Public Works Director Peter M. McConarty told the board that repairs have become a frequent task, with automated trucks often damaging lids and wheels during pickup. Moving that responsibility to the contractor is expected to improve efficiency and free up public works crews for other priorities.
Town officials noted that the rollout would impact nearly every household. McConarty said early estimates placed the cost of purchasing approximately 22,000 carts at about $1.2 million. Through negotiations, that cost was reduced significantly, to $900,000, then $750,000, then $500,000 and, ultimately, to about $300,000.
Under the draft agreement, the contractor would cover 75% of the cart costs, while the town would pay the remaining 25%.
The contract also includes a clause allowing the town to purchase the carts at a prorated price if the agreement ends early or if the town switches haulers in the future. That cost would range from $8 to $12 per container, depending on size.
Additional provisions allow the town to add services during the five-year term without reopening the full contract. This includes the option to introduce curbside composting, which officials say will be important for reducing waste.
The agreement specifies that the town could launch compost pickup without affecting trash and recycling service. The contractor would not be required to service compost bins, and the town would not be obligated to hire the contractor for compost collection or disposal. However, the contractor would be eligible to bid on the service if the town later seeks proposals.
Alan Robinson, chairman of the town’s Solid Waste Advisory Committee, told the board that the committee supports the contract extension and believes the expanded cart system could help the town meet state waste reduction goals, which call for a 30% reduction in trash disposal from 2018 levels by 2030.
McConarty said food waste accounts for roughly one-third of the town’s trash stream.
“To achieve that 2030 goal, you will have to make progress on the food scrap compost,” Robinson told the Select Board.
For residents, the most noticeable change will be the transition to standardized trash carts alongside the recycling carts they already have. McConarty said distribution is expected to begin this year, with carts rolled out townwide before Memorial Day. He added that the Solid Waste Advisory Committee and the Department of Public Works will lead a public information campaign to help residents understand their options and prepare for the transition.