At first glance, the photos are gross.
Bag after plastic bag lie next to the Parker Harding Plaza trash compactor. Most are full. Some spill their contents — food, papers, garbage — onto the pavement.
Reaction is swift: What’s wrong with the Westport Downtown Association (or the town itself)? How can they let that happen?
As is often the case, this is not a black-and-white (trash bag) story. There’s more to it than meets the eye (and nose).
A large reason for the mess lies with a few merchants. Every WDA member who pays to use the refuse service gets a key to the compactor — and instructions on how to use it.
But not every employee follows the rules. Hauling trash from a store or restaurant to the compactor is not a pleasant task. For whatever reason, some don’t open the bins. They just leave the bags next to it.
That has a predictable effect. The next employee — perhaps well-intentioned — sees trash next to the compactor. He or she assumes it is full. Why check? They just leave their bags too.
There is a second predictable effect. All it takes is for one bird or varmint to get into the trash. That’s their nature — especially if it’s not sealed tightly.
Their critter friends quickly gather. They finish dinner, then leave without cleaning up.
Ninety percent of the time when trash piles up, the compactor is only 1/4 full, says WDA president Maxx Crowley.
That’s not only unsightly and smelly — it’s costly. The refuse company charges more whenever they have to pick up the bags (and more) by hand.
(Photo/Sal Liccione)
To stem the abuse, the Downtown Association will soon begin going through trash dumped outside. They’ll determine who the offender is, and fine them.
Repeat offenders will be reported to the Aspetuck Health District. They want to keep downtown clean too.
Merchants are not the only offenders. Residents sometimes use the compactors as their own personal trash cans.
They may not realize the compactors are private. They may know, but not care. Perhaps the transfer station is closed. Perhaps it’s open, but they don’t want to drive there.
Whatever the reason, Westporters (and, probably, out-of-towners) have no problem dumping trash bags — and bicycles, furniture and more — next to the bins.
A Westport Downtown Association contractor cleans up some of the large pieces of trash left by the compactor.
The WDA does not want to be the trash mafia, Crowley notes.
Their goal is to “create a beautiful downtown environment,” the president says.
At their own expense, they put out and water flower baskets in warm months, blow leaves in the fall, and wrap downtown with holiday decor and trees in winter.
The WDA has teamed up with Employment Is For Everyone — the collaboration between the town and its Commission on People with Disabilities — to create an ambassador program that helps keep downtown clean and welcoming.
“Our team will continue to do everything we can to keep the trash area clean,” Crowley says. “We hope everyone will work with us, to help.”
Similar situation across the way in the lot behind Main Street and Avery Place – not only is the parking lot in dire need of resurfacing but the trash piles up as well. I have seen residents dumping their trash behind Trader Joes. It’s seems silly that the town can’t resolve this. Maybe a different trash hauler can make recommendations?
Every merchant should pay and have access to the dumpster. That’s a start. Cheap cameras on Amazon daily. Definitely open the trash bags. Unacceptable by the worst standards.
This is just disgusting and can be prevented. As you mentioned fine the merchant or person that’s too lazy or has no right to use dumpster. Cameras would help but also people are stupid enough to leave identifiable garbage
Again, this is NOT the fault of the merchants.
It is the fault of the downtown association for not picking up the garbage as often as need be.
This is a money maker for downtown association, maybe that is why they won’t lay on more days for emptying the dumpsters. Because it will be less profitable.
A full dumpster is a full dumpster after all.
Staff are not stupid. They know how to empty their garbage.
Welp, in the 1950’s in Westport, long before the “plaza,” the merchants merely tossed their garbage out their back doors into the river. We’ve come a long way baby.
Happy birthday Dude‼️🇺🇸
Gracias, Sir Thomas.
Are there any security cameras in this area?
I appreciate Maxx Crowley’s efforts to solve this problem. The Association has very clear policies and consequences on its web site, but without surveillance there is mostly no way to know who the offenders are. It’s not a sustainable solution for Maxx to go through trash bags personally or to cart them away himself. We love our downtown merchants and the vitality they bring to town, but I would hope they all take pride in their place of business and make it a priority with their teams to ensure it remains clean, healthy and safe. This isn’t a hard one – the dumpsters have adequate capacity most of the time even at the holidays (the hauler’s data can verify), the compactor works most of the time – it’s the humans that don’t.
Then why is the only time this seems to be a problem at weekends and on Mondays.?
I’m sure the merchants who are forced to use this garbage service provided by DOwntown association, surely do not use it correctly Tuesday to Friday only to abuse it at weekends ? Hardly makes any sense.
Some businesses are not forced into this “middleman “ situation. Downtown association is just another layer in the garbage pick up for the merchants forced to contract with them.
Many of us are fortunate enough to control our own garbage situation and schedule lots of multi weekly pick ups.
Those of us who do that have no issue whatsoever.
We all recycle and have a separate compost pick up. It runs very smoothly with adequate pick up days. During summer ( warm weather) and busy times we schedule extra pick ups- it works well.
Parker Harding garbage does not get picked up on Saturday/Sunday/monday- that’s a long stretch. Perhaps with so many businesses using it there should be either a Saturday or Sunday pick up.
The downtown association just cannot help themselves but bad mouth and create fiction about the “merchants”. It has become like a them and us situation.
How dare the merchants use the parking… now let’s blame the merchants for the 3xa week garbage problem.
And Kristen in fairness, you would not know if the compactor works ? Or if the dumpsters have adequate space. I suggest I have looked in them out of curiosity, and they are full at weekends and on Mondays.
Let’s not bash the merchants shall we.
Do I sense some skullduggery here???
Did you see all the discarded orange halves and Sunkist case? It wouldn’t take a Sherlock Holmes to figure out who’s serving fresh oj and brunch on the weekends.
Definitely fine them and not some small fine either. Every merchant should train their staff properly. Those illegally dumping should be arrested or issued a summons.
Perhaps build a nice looking fence around the dumpster that locks with a deadbolt that the business owners all have a key. This recently worked for a building we lease space from.
Security cams. A dime a dozen.
Why is Westport producing so much trash to begin with? Shame on us, consuming and trashing.
Fingerpointing. The 06880 tradition that rings in every new year. Sadismo/Masochismo. Left brain/Right brain. Pick up that garbage!!! No!!! You first!!!!
The words of Kristin Schneeman, a RTM Representative, are well appreciated and reflect Kristin’s ongoing efforts in so many areas to get people to “do the right thing”. Kristin is a very positive force within Westport.
Thanks for your continued coverage of this icky problem that has persisted for more than half a decade… a quick glance backwards in the 06880 archives reveals its longevity.
Yes I agree with Kristin I walk Parker Harding almost every day let’s get camera and the town paid for the pads and everything we’re the dumpster are and thanks max for all you do a rtm rep downtown i would support the town putting cameras and anything but I also ask the town to work with the business downtown and parks and recreation I no I have talk to parks and recreation they are willing to pick up the garbage wehn it gets full let’s all work together ok thanks to rtm colleagues in district 9 to fix the garbage issue down let’s have a meeting together ok from I also want thank dma employees that help out
I mean max as the downtown association president not as a rtm rep but we all should be working as a team in the Town of Westport it is a we ok we all need to work together as don has said I am will to work with downtown association to fix this problem thanks Dan and max anyone who wants to meet on this. Or anything downtown fell free to call me my cell is 203 434 6348.
wondering if the problem was as bad with a normal dumpster. is there a trade off with outside dumpers VS the employee who doesn’t follow the procedure.
Bottom line it’s a management issue on every level. Pay for someone to supervise the dumpster for a few weeks and or meet with staff of all businesses. We can’t invest more money in this area without consistent maintenance and upkeep from all parties involved.
Maybe cameras would help. Or some kind of keypad (if possible) to open the dumpster that could track use.
Cameras
Cameras the association monitors daily, just the cost of doing business
I may be late to comment, but my response differs from others who have posted thus far.
With the hope that these points attract sufficient consideration:
1. Where is the proof that the cause and effect is down to the poor trash disposal practices of Downtown business employees? Is this not a relatively new and potentially seasonal development?
It may be just the angle of the photos presented for corroboration, but to my eye, the volume of trash outside the containers alone, appears to exceed the capacity of the dumpster under any circumstances.
Are there contributing factors to an increase in the volume of trash? A greater number of businesses/fewer vacancies?
2. Might it not be more prudent to solve the problem while identifying culprits, instead of literally kicking the can by beefing up enforcement measures?
I’m told we have an immediate resolution in easy reach, as the Parks & Rec’s personel gather trash from the public waste recepticals in the Downtown area on a daily basis and I’m told they are ready, willing and able to remove excess trash from the commercial dumpster areas on an as needed basis.
An added benefit of Parks & Rec personnel picking up the slack would also provide a first-hand, professional assessment of the cause of the problem based upon observation. Are the dumpsters under-utilized when trash proliferates around the sites?
Clearly, the DTMA management is not the source of the problem, but the responsibility for an effective and efficient resolution falls within its purview.
Before we invest time, resources and funds in cameras and keypads, fines and penalties, and/or investigating the contents/source of the offending litter, isn’t it best to start by simply cleaning it up?
Judging by the dozens of orange halves scatted about the compactor, and the empty Sunkist case box, I’d say those were served in a commercial setting. Fresh orange juice, anyone? And there is one restaurant in the vicinity of that trash compactor that does indeed serve fresh oj. I’m not saying I know for a fact that this is their mess, I’m just saying it sure looks like it is.