Pittsfield officials say tote rollout cut trash, doubled recycling but delivery and pickup problems persist

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — City officials and contractors told the City Council on Monday that Pittsfield’s switch to automated 48‑gallon trash and recycling totes has sharply reduced residential trash and increased recycling but faces continuing operational glitches that city staff and Casella, the contractor, said they are working to fix.

Mayor Marchetti and Commissioner Morales presented implementation data and logistics to Councilors and representatives of Casella, saying early monthly figures show a marked drop in trash tonnage and a rise in recycling. “We went down significantly on trash. 364 tons reduction in the trash side,” Commissioner Morales said, and “we went up 53 tons” in recycling over the period presented.

The mayor framed the initiative as both a service reform and a cost‑savings measure: the city delivered new carts to about 17,000 households and, according to the presentation, average per‑household collection costs fell in the first months. “If we had started this for a full year ... the savings would have been half a million,” Commissioner Morales said, summarizing the fiscal impact shown in slides.

Nut graf: The council heard evidence that the system is meeting its basic aims — less trash, more recycling and short‑term budget savings — but councillors and residents pressed officials on practical failures at the curb: late deliveries of extra totes, missed pickups on some streets, inconsistent backyard service and questions about enforcement and communications. City staff and Casella said they have taken steps to address those issues and promised further action.

What officials said

• Delivery and equipment: Casella and city staff said the initial rollout distributed one…