In an effort to help curb the neighborhood’s prolific rodent problem, one resident has started a petition urging the city to adopt an 8 a.m. pickup time on Mondays and Fridays for trash and recyclables on Beacon Hill, as well as to mandate same day-placement of trash for pickup by residents.
Diana Coldren of Charles River Square launched the online petition at https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-rat-buffet-in-beacon-hill?recruiter=10039145&recruited_by_id=a29c1c80-5b31-0130-25de-3c764e0455b2&utm_source=share_petition&utm_campaign=share_for_starters_page&utm_medium=copylink, which, as of Tuesday (Dec. 6), had already passed the half-way mark of its target of 200 signatures.
“Currently, residential trash and recycling must be placed on the curb between 5 p.m. the night before trash collection at 6 a.m., wrote Colden. “Most trash is placed out the evening beforehand. On some streets, trash often is not collected until late afternoon. The rat ‘buffet’ lasts for almost 24 hours.”
Trash and recyclables are currently picked up on Beacon Hill on Mondays and Fridays at 6 a.m. per the terms of the five-year, $28 million contract that the city entered into with East Boston-based Capitol Waste Services on July 1, 2019. Prior to this, the pickup time for trash and recycles in the neighborhood was 7 a.m. on Mondays and Fridays.
“While the city trash contract may not be up until 2024, it is important to advocate for a change as soon as feasibly possible, added Coldren. “Reported rodent activity on 311 is up 48 percent in Boston since the change to 6 a.m. trash pick-up time.”
In addition to signing the petition, Coldren also urges residents to notify the city by calling 311 or using the 311 app to report every rat sighting or evidence of rats (i.e. burrows, chewed trash, droppings, etc.)
Meanwhile, the City Council’s Committee on City Services and Innovation Technology will hold a public hearing to discuss an order for a hearing to discuss pest control in the city, as well as an order for a hearing to discuss trash containerization in Boston, on Thursday, Dec. 8, at 11 a.m. in the Iannella Chamber, fifth floor, at City Hall.
The public may also watch this hearing via live stream at www.boston.gov/city-council-tv. Members of the public wishing to testify virtually via videoconference should email the staff contact at [email protected] for a link and instructions to do so.