This transfer station is a disaster...it is filthy. For the amount of money that the residents have to pay we should not have to deal with this type of conditions, never mind enforcing new ways to make money...improve conditions!!! When Waste Management was there it NEVER looked like it does now. Bring Dennis back!

I agree that the transfer station is poorly organized and operated. How much emissions is put in the air with all of the cars idling waiting because yard waste, yes grass and branches are disposed of inside. Now, you want to punish the basic home owner with DIY projects with a $75 disposal fee because you let contractors abuse the system. Time to call Waste Management and just have it picked up in front of the house - kind of like other municipalities have as a basic service free of charge.

I’m glad this topic came up. There is a question I’ve wanted to ask about a situation I had there a couple of weeks ago. While in line there, the car in front of me had Massachusetts plates. When I got out to dump my recyclables I walked around to check for a Portsmouth Transfer station sticker. There wasn’t one displayed. So, I went over to the hut to ask our “guard” about it. He gave no answer and he just stared through me like I wasn’t even there. I looked at the waste mgmt company employee standing there next to him and that person just shrugged his shoulders and said “what can you do?” So, is there some scenario wherein that person should be allowed to dump at our transfer station? Isn’t the “guard” supposed to be stopping this? If he’s consciously allowing it…

I remember Dennis. I bumped into him down in Newport last summer I think, by the Goat Island Causeway and stopped to say hellow. It was then that I learned Waste Mgmt had lost the Portsmouth contract. I made a point of stopping because Dennis had always helped me unload my trash whenever he had an extra second or two. I'm just a retired old coot.

Let’s see if I can respond to everyone’s comments. Keep in mind the transfer station opened in 1974 when Portsmouth’s population was maybe half what it is today and except for occasional barrels to drop of glass bottles, there was no recycling and diversion. When Patriot Hauling won the competitive bid in 2008 for operating the transfer station, the new manager took a fresh look at what additional disposal options could be offered. Besides the RIRRC requirements for MSW, plastic and paper recyclables, yard waste and unwanted electronics, you can now drop off Freon devices and propane tanks (for free now), tires, scrap metal, C&D, dirt, brick and concrete, motor oil, books and clothes. Plus I’m sure you remember the frequently closed recycling bins back in WM days. As a result of RIRRC’s $20 a ton rebate for recyclables last fiscal year, it cost Portsmouth $1 a ton for recyclables versus $53 a ton for MSW. The attendants will help people who truly need assistance but basically this is a self-service transfer station. Whatever people can do to not drop trash will help keep the station cleaner. As far as the gate security guard concerns, a new company will take over on July 30. As was mentioned in the video, the transfer station is operating in very tight quarters so please bear with us until a larger station becomes available. Any other questions or comments?

I've had no problems with the transfer station, I'm in and out of there pretty quickly. My only complaint with the town is that the transfer station should be included in our taxes. I pay thousands of dollars in taxes, have no children in the schools and get no other services. Most communities pick up the garbage, we have to pay extra to take our own garbage to the dump.

One week passes are available at Town Hall. One of the primary duties for the new guard service will be to compare license plate number to the number written on the sticker and to make sure the sticker is permanently attached. As far as out of state plates, they may belong to military families or people who pay tax on a Portsmouth property but register their car out of state. The transfer station operating budget was pulled out of the general budget as a result of the budget cap that came out of the 2006 tent meeting. I too miss the tax deduction but good luck trying to get the town council to add $520K back into the general budget.

It is long in the tooth. A new facility would be great but expensive. I have generally found it to be a quick in and out. I don't expect anyone to hold my hand and I pretty much expect it to smell and look like a transfer station. The only thing I find annoying is having to wait while a commercial garbage truck dumps it's load which results in the wide area being blocked off. Thus, pickups have to squeeze through the car area to drop their trash. What's up witht hose garbage trucks dumping there? I've always assumed it's legit. Why else would they do it in broad daylight? But still, is the town getting revenue by letting local garbage comanies use the transfer station?

Nun - Patriot Hauling is the only company that should be using the transfer station.

Let's face it... The transfer station is, and has been, obsolete. And, here we are trying to make it do even more "things". You just can't put 10 gallons in a five gallon pail....The station was built many years ago with a much smaller population etc. etc. We need to build a new facility in the Melville area.......

That Transfer Station Is A Hot Mess. I Broke This Story A Year Ago. I Have Been Doing Home Improvement Projects All Summer, Now I'm Going To Have To Pay $75 To Dump My Junk? I'll Just Cut It Up Into Small Peices And Put It In Black Garbage Bags The Way I Do With Old Tires And Paint Cans. Up Yours Patriot Hauling.

So, the new Transfer Station Security Guard Contract will take place starting tomorrow! That the outgoing Company was not awarded the contract solely because of issues with the guards. Really!!! I have never had problems with any of the guards. Could it be that I am knowledgeable with the rules and regulations for authorized entrance to the Transfer Station and others don’t care and when denied entrance they complain. Well, in my opinion and as a resident of this Town for 63 years, I feel a particular member of the Town Council is the sole problem. This individual feels they have the right to personally micromanage the guards. To me this is wrong. Shouldn't it be as follows: Any and all Transfer Station complaints are submitted to the TA and the TA deals directly with the Company who in turn deals with their employees? Well, on this past Friday, I witnessed firsthand this individual of the Town Council, who very unprofessionally was yelling and cursing at the guard on duty. This is so wrong. Since this individual is an Elected Official and does not answer to anyone in the Town Hall, who do I make a complaint to?

Gee I wonder if this was the same individual from the Town Council that I witnessed on Saturday at the Transfer Station that was totally out of control with their actions and language towards the guard on duty. I felt very bad for the guard due to the way he was being treated in front of all the other residents entering and leaving the Transfer Station. This person is a Town Official, and this is the way they act out in public?! They should be totally ashamed of them selves and their behavior! I need to complain about this action so it does not happen again, to anyone. Can anyone please tell me who I can complain to at Town Hall who can correct this matter.

The complaint should go to the town administrator AND the town council. She has absolutely no authority as an individual councilmember to direct any employee or any town contractor to do anything, in fact the charter strictly forbids it. I doubt it will do any good though. This is probably the same town councilor who who didn't realize the town had to pay unemployment to workers it lays off, (gee, I thought the state paid that) or its the councilor who had a letter to the editor in Saturday's Newport Daily News stating that she worked shoulder to shoulder with councilors Pedro and Kesson to "successfully resolve the sewer issue in Island Park". I must have missed the press release on that one. The last I heard the Notice of Violation was still in effect and had not been dismissed or withdrawn, the $186,000 fine was still hanging over the town's head and accruing interest at 12% (another $40,000 while the town fiddles) and the only reason its not in the news anymore is an Island Park resident got fed up and filed a complaint in the courts claiming the council's whole approach to the sewer issue is a sham deliberately designed to deceive not only DEM but the taxpayers as well. The town council has been strangley silent since then. Successfully resolved? I don't think so.

The last time I was in the station I witnissed a person drop their trash causing the bag to split dumping trash all over the floor. The employees swept up the mess, proceeded to wash the floor down, use the broom again to sweep away the water... the next person who went to dump their trash got out of her vehicle wearing flip flops and complained that it was a mess, and her feet were going to get dirty and berated the worker. In my opinion dont wear flip flops to the dump and that wouldnt happen for one and two at least he cleaned it up so your precious feet didnt have to step in maggots.

I would guess that all the people complaining that the transfer station is a mess never had to use the town dump in Islad Park. You would get out of your car and would be stepping in other peoples garbage. then had to be carful not to fall into the hole.

@The Shill - Town Dump in Island Park were the good old days. You never had the problems you have now. Anyways, I think I will give a call to the new Security Guard Company. I think they will appreciate what I have to tell them.