JACKSON, Wyo. — After considering public comment in November, Town Councilors voted to approve amendments to the Pay As You Throw (PAYT) trash ordinance during their Monday, Dec. 2, meeting. The ordinance is an initiative intended to help curb Jackson’s waste.
According to the Town, PAYT refers to a system that allows residents to pay for disposed waste by weight, volume or frequency rather than as a flat fee.
Town of Jackson Ecosystem Stewardship Administrator Tanya Anderson told Buckrail that the municipal code PAYT would offer customers fewer scheduled trash hauls and a rate differential depending upon the size of their bin. Anderson explained that the proposed PAYT trash ordinance is an optional service to residents, which trash removal companies will provide.
The staff report states that haulers must provide pricing options for at least two different sizes of bear-resistant trash receptacles, and at least three options for the frequency of pickup. The two sizes of receptacles must differ by a minimum of 25 gallons, per the staff report. A stipulation to reduce “snowconing,” or the overloading of waste receptacles, requires waste haulers to notify customers to use a larger receptacle if trash continues to overflow.
Anderson said that waste haulers either provide, rent or sell bear-resistance containers, dependent upon the company’s business model.
“Some Jackson waste haulers purchase their own bins, others let the customer purchase their own bin,” Anderson said. “People need to communicate with their hauler to see what they can provide.”
Town staff writes that each ton of waste transported from the Teton County Transfer Station to the landfill contributes an estimated 0.52 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions to the atmosphere. The staff report notes that 36,149.1 tons of waste were shipped from the Teton County Transfer Station to a landfill in Fiscal Year 2024, contributing an estimated 18,798 tons of CO2e to the atmosphere. This is roughly equivalent to the annual emissions from 4,096 passenger vehicles, per the staff report.
“By moving away from a flat fee for waste disposal to one where customers have the choice to save money by using a smaller waste container and/or receive less frequent pickup, customers have a greater incentive to participate in recycling and composting programs,” Anderson said.
Integrated Solid Waste and Recycling (ISWR) Superintendent Becky Kiefer wrote a letter to Town Council in support of the new initiative.
“With the Council’s support of PAYT, ISWR has already begun assessing residential curbside organics and recycling collection,” Kiefer wrote in the letter.
During public comment on Nov. 18, Kiefer also told the Council that the PAYT ordinance would be essential for the community to achieve its goal of net zero CO2 emissions by 2030.
“This is measurable,” Kiefer said. “We are exploring one of the most effective ways to divert waste and reduce CO2 emissions.”
Councilors voted for the ordinance in a four-to-one vote, with the dissenting vote coming from Councilor Jim Rooks. Rooks said he could not vote for the ordinance because he says that trash removal needs to be more frequent within bear zone regions. He also said that people do not need a smaller trash container to reduce their waste.
“We are basically saying that there are two types of receptacles available,” Rooks said. “I know what we do as family. If you want to reduce costs and waste, then you can just reduce waste and call the contractor to come every two weeks.”
Kalisa Poinsett, who runs a trash hauling business, said that the new ordinance will create the additional cost of purchasing multiple sizes of bear proof containers.
“This places undue burden and costs on our company,” Poinsett said. “It should not be our role to enforce policies. This will distract our ability to provide our service to the community.”
Councilor Arne Jorgensen said that it’s a good idea to provide different options to residents.
“It’s a step in right direction for making a conscious decision about what to do with our trash,” Jorgensen said.
Mayor Hailey Morton Levinson said that the PAYT initiative fits into the Town’s sustainability plans.
The PAYT ordinance still requires two more readings, which will be held on Dec. 10 and Dec. 16. Both Town Council meetings will be open to public comment. The ordinance is scheduled to go into effect on July 1, 2025, to allow for waste hauling companies the time to change services, determine pricing and inform their customers.
