Orange is the color of Woolwich’s pay-as-you-throw (PAYT) trash bags. The bags for non-recyclable trash are on sale now in anticipation of the PAYT program that starts on Tuesday, Sept. 1.

The new bags are available in two sizes, large and small. The large, 30-gallon bags come in rolls of five and cost $10 per roll. Small bags (15-gallon) are in rolls of 10 and are also $10 per roll.

Bags can be purchased at the town office during business hours, as well as the Shaw’s Supermarkets in Bath and Wiscasset, Ames True Value in Wiscasset, Rodger’s Ace Hardware in Bath, Cumberland Farms in Woolwich and the Woolwich Clipper Mart.

Recycling pickup will continue to remain free; days of pickup stay the same.

Non-recyclable trash will no longer be picked up unless it’s contained in an orange WasteZero bag stamped with the town of Woolwich’s logo. The bags also contain printed instructions for their use.

The WasteZero bags are for trash only and not recyclables. They are not for yard trimmings, hazardous wastes or construction debris. After the bags are filled they should be securely closed and left as usual for pickup by the town’s trash contractor. The days for trash-only pickup will remain same.

Lynette Eastman, Woolwich town administrator, said postcards were mailed to residents reminding them that PAYT would soon be starting. She said the town office has sold a number of rolls already and had plenty on hand. Stores selling the Woolwich PAYT bags were also well-stocked.

WasteZero, a not-for-profit organization, administers PAYT also referred to as Pay-Per-Bag. Over 40 other Maine communities, including the city of Bath, are members of WasteZero PAYT. The program encourages people to separate their disposables more carefully, reducing what’s being thrown away and recycling more.

The town pays  “tipping fees” for curbside pickup and disposal of non-recyclable trash for each ton of trash collected. There’s no tipping fee charged for recyclables collected. WasteZero estimated Woolwich would realize a 40 percent annual reduction in its trash removal costs by implementing PAYT. The board of selectmen has pledged to apply all the savings realized from PAYT to reducing the town’s solid waste disposal budget.

After Sept. 1, the town will no longer pay for emptying residential dumpsters. Dumpster renters will have to make arrangements with their private contractor for disposal services at their own expense, or make arrangements to join PAYT.

For more information on PAYT, go to www.wastezero.com/woolwich.