By ANDY GARDNER

MASSENA -- New garbage and recycling rules will be fully enforced starting Aug. 1, Village Public Works Superintendent Hassan Fayad told the Board of Trustees on Tuesday.

“We’ve relaxed the enforcement at this time, but Aug. 1 we’re going to implement it again,” Fayad said.

Earlier in the month, the county solid waste department directed the DPW garbage collectors to crack down on improperly sorted recyclables, but didn’t announce it. They take trash from the village and told leaders if they can’t get people to sort their recycling from refuse, they will levy a fine. It resulted in piles of garbage bags tagged and left at the curbside throughout town, angering many.

Mayor Tim Currier said he feels the village came up short in not announcing the new policy, but hopes to get the word out through radio ads, brochures and a July 28 public meeting. That will be in the Town Hall July 28 at 6 p.m.

Both he and Fayad said they have been speaking with officials at Massena stores to encourage them to carry more clear bags, which will be required, and fewer opaque bags.

“I told them we are a clear bag community and that’s what we are looking for and hope they stock more of the clear bags and less of the colored bags,” Fayad said.

A Massena resident told the board during public comment that he thinks a section of the garbage code could cause problems.

R. Shawn Gray said a disabled neighbor told him he had a bag tagged for being too smelly.

“One of their citations was their garbage smelled. I can’t believe that’s anything you can be cited for,” Gray said. “It’s garbage and we’re in July.”

“This is the first I’ve heard of that. The code says cans should be clean and free of odor,” Fayad replied. “I would hope they would be more sensitive to that issue. I will have that discussion with them Thursday morning.”

Currier noted that he is hopeful the time leading up to full enforcement will give village employees, staff and residents “on the same page.”

Fayad said he thinks the new regulations are for the better.

“It’s to our own benefit, not only financially but environmentally … it’s better all the way around. It’s a work in progress,” he said.

The new rules for recycling and refuse can be found here.