Greenbelt council approves one‑year 'Save As You Throw' pilot for trash fees starting Jan. 1

The Greenbelt City Council voted unanimously to authorize a one‑year pilot of a “Save As You Throw” (pay‑as‑you‑throw) trash fee program beginning Jan. 1, 2026. The pilot sets a proposed base residential fee of $240 per year for households that buy city‑approved trash bags and an opt‑out annual fee of $380 for households that do not participate. The council also approved continuing the curbside food‑scrap pilot for 410 existing participating accounts with a proposed city subsidy of $14.13 per household per month and a $5 monthly participant contribution.

Council members said the program is intended to reduce landfill disposal and increase recycling by making part of each household’s trash fee proportional to the amount of landfill waste it generates. The council instructed staff to draft an ordinance implementing the pilot and to return with the ordinance for formal readings and public comment (first reading in July, second in August if scheduled).

The pilot’s mechanics presented to council call for retail sale of city‑approved bags in local…