The Greenbelt City Council approved a 12‑month pilot of a "Save As You Throw" (SAYT) pay‑per‑bag solid‑waste program and completed multiple related actions to continue and fund the city’s resident composting service.

Council adopted the SAYT resolution on second reading to begin a pilot program effective Jan. 1, 2026; the roll call in the meeting record shows unanimous approval. The program will require a new bag purchase model, a per‑kilowatt usage‑style fee change for EV charging stations (see separate administrative items), and administrative agreements with partner vendor(s) and retail outlets for the sale and accounting of approved bags.

At the same meeting the council also approved a $26,205 supplemental appropriation for fiscal year 2026 to continue the resident composting pickup program. That ordinance passed after roll call (6 in favor, 1 opposed — the record shows one 'no' vote). The appropriation funds weekly curbside pickup and processing for participants through the end of the fiscal year while staff implements the pilot SAYT program.

Council also authorized the following steps that complete the near‑term plan for composting services:
- Authorization to sell the city’s compost outpost containers and related equipment to Compost Crew, a private contractor; council approved the sale by a recorded vote (motion carried 6–1). The sale proceeds are being applied to subsidize continued compost service.
- Authorization for the City Manager to execute a contract for composting services with Compost Crew, enabling door‑to‑door compost pickup for participating households for the remainder of FY2026.

Why it matters: The SAYT pilot and the companion composting actions are part of a broader waste‑reduction strategy. Staff told council the city will collect implementation data during the pilot, including participation rates and revenue from bag sales, to evaluate long‑term design and scale for refuse and organics collection.

Key council and staff remarks: Sustainability coordinator Luis Arubles and GreenAces chair John Lippert summarized community questions and outreach effort at Labor Day events and town halls: "We don't want this to be complicated for anyone," Arubles said about bag options, adding the city will coordinate with collectors to avoid collecting partially filled bags. City Manager said staff will finalize MOUs and administrative arrangements during the implementation phase and bring vendor agreements to council as required.

What was not decided: Council did not finalize long‑term citywide waste collection responsibilities, a universal compost pickup for all households, or permanent fee structures beyond the pilot. Staff said further analysis — including a possible independent study and budget planning — will be required to evaluate expansion options.

Next steps: Staff will execute the Compost Crew contract, implement retail bag‑sale agreements and launch a full outreach campaign before SAYT begins. Council also asked staff to track pilot metrics and report back for budgetary consideration for FY2027.