As a result, suburbanites who must pay extra for private garbage removal are dumping their refuse all over Beantown. So, in fact, are Boston residents with vacation homes. "Believe it or not, people bring trash in from their summer homes," says Joseph Casazza, the city's public works commissioner.
How do they sneak it in? Some take bags of garbage to work with them. Others cross into the city and drop trash in alleyways or at the base of dumpsters. The problem appears to be growing as communities surrounding Boston cut services or institute per-bag or per-pound fees for garbage or for special pick-ups such as television sets and other bulky items. And it seems there's not a whole lot Boston officials can do about it.
At one point, trash collectors were told to photograph wayward garbage bags and then to rifle through them looking for the identification of the perpetrator. The city even tried to prosecute some people whose trash they were able to identify. But a decision was made that with a limited budget, it didn't make sense to deputize trash police and clog up the court system. There are too many other pressing needs. "Yes, we have an eye on it," says Casazza. "But from a practical point of view, how much can government do?"
