Politics & Government

Your Thoughts: Southold Reconsiders Yellow Garbage Bag System

Readers weigh in on the possible disposal of the town's yellow bag requirement.

In Southold Town, the simple act of s becoming more and more of a complicated matter for the average citizen — and for those directly involved in the local industry.

Since 1993, residents of have had to buy special yellow bags from the town in order to throw their garbage away at the in Cutchogue. The law was enacted in order to encourage residents to recycle instead of throw everything away and to comply with state-mandated recycling goals, according to Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell.

But with the option of paying a private carter — and more private carters now trying to do business in town — residents have become more confused by the yellow bag requirement. And the Town has taken legal steps to stop Riverhead-based private carter from picking up garbage curbside that is not in yellow bags — even thought the carter takes the garbage to Medford, not the town's transfer station.

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Go-Green Sanitation was recently issued violations for picking up residential refuse that was not in as is required by the Town. The town passed a resolution to a 120-day standstill agreement this Tuesday at a regular Town Hall meeting this week, lifting a restraining order and allowing Go-Green to get back to business as usual until a permanent solution can be found.

Ron Fisher of Go-Green expressed frustration to members of the Town Board Tuesday, and several residents of the community also expressed their unhappiness with the yellow bag system.

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North Fork Patch readers weighed in as well — some said they are perfectly happy with the yellow bag system, others went so far as to call it “un-American.” Here are a few examples of your thoughts. Feel free to add to the conversation in the comments below or

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“My Garbage will stay on my lawn till it is picked up by Go-Green. As I have stated even if they had a point with Go-Green's policy, why would they not let them do a week of final pick up to avoid the health, animal issues they are now going to have. The pile is getting higher!!!” — John Smith

“Let's change the law to allow garbage collection by businesses such as ‘Go-Green’ to legally sort elsewhere, without the need for purchased yellow plastic bags, as long as the garbage eventually does get sorted. The new law must be reasonable, well understood, and economically fair to all, including commercial businesses. Our community has no right to thwart the development of new business. Disclosure: I buy yellow bags and haul my own garbage and sorted recyclables to the "town dump" and have no desire to utilize a commercial picker-upper.” — Jonathan Baker

“I think [the yellow bag system] is a fine system. It encourages recycling and composting (the less you throw away, the fewer bags you have to buy). Cost is reasonable and the town improved the quality of the bags after complaints that they tore easily." — Katharine Schroeder

“Mr. Russell's statements continue to amaze me - how does the yellow bag policy enforce recycling? You can put recyclables in any color bag Mr. Russell - yellow, pink and even a rainbow colored bag. So he really needs to elaborate on how a colored bag enforces recycling. This policy is the most ridiculous policy ever - I can't even call it outdated because 20 years ago it was dumb. Perhaps the revenue does drive the process but where do our taxes go? They keep going up and up and up yet we continue to pay for every privilage extended to us in this town including getting rid of garbage - I feel pretty confident in saying this town is poorly run - and Mr. Russell is skirting the bigger issue here - as he always does. And I really think he needs a lesson on the role of the elected official - and that role does not dictate what I do with my garbage or how I get rid of it - if I wanted to live like that I would move to China. Not sure when his term is up but even though I am a republican this guy is not getting my vote.” — Jennifer Mercer

“I still don't see how recycleable items can be thrown in with actual garbage, which is the Go-Green way. Seattle WA has a very user-friendly web site as to how to separate your garbage, food and yard (which is turned into compost) and recycles. So you have three receptacles at your house. Not one where all your "stuff" goes. If they separate in Seattle who is the nations model of being green there is NO WAY garbage and recycles can be thrown out together. It just doesn't make sense. Think about it. Or better yet..check out the Seattle web site...” — Jet

“As Go-Green customers, we separate our trash just as everyone else does in Southold who uses a carting service. The town board attempts to maintain this misconception with the smoke and mirrors of NYS requirements. All carters licensed to work in Southold obey state regulations. They have to. The town board is upset that they placed an order last year for a huge number of yellow bags that are not moving as quickly as they would like and it is tying up their money. We told them that these yellow bags, as my students would say, suck big time. They are too thin aka cheap requiring doubling up and the wrong size for any known kitchen garbage receptacle on this earth. I wonder who bags the garbage in Mr. Russell’s home. And the claim that yellow bags inspire separating has no current evidence to support it. If it is repeated often enough, people will believe it as a self-evident truth. And a UFO was spotted landing on Alvah’s Lane last July Fourth!” — Michael Edelson


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