The Town of Gorham will discontinue distribution of town trash bags, replacing them with town trash tags, effective January 1, 2021. The tags have been in circulation since May 2016 and are seen as a more effective way to reduce trash volume.

Public Works has received many complaints about the quality of the town bags that have been used over the last 18 years since the inception of the program. Public Works believes it will be more efficient to procure and distribute tags as well as freeing up valuable shelf space for store merchants.

Trash tags are available in local stores as well as municipal facilities wherever bags are sold. Residents will purchase their own trash bags and attach a tag to each bag when placed at the curb for collection.

The tags signify to the town’s curbside collection contractor, Pine Tree Waste (Casella), that the resident has paid for the collection of each tagged trash bag. The revenue from the sale of the tags is used by the town to pay for the trash and recyclable curbside collection contract.

Town trash bags will continue to be picked up after January 1, but the bags will no longer be sold in stores. Residents will buy town tags to use on their own trash bags, at a price of $7.50 for five small trash bags, 15 gallons and smaller, and $15.00 for five large trash bags, 33 gallons and smaller.

For more information, please call Gorham’s solid waste hotline at 892- 3649.