BALTIMORE, MD -- The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and other national solid waste and governmental organizations is sponsoring an interactive satellite videoconference, entitled The Nuts and Bolts of Pay-As-You-Throw on Thursday, October 9, from 1 to 3 p.m. at five sites in Maryland. The forum is intended for local government officials who want to learn about "Pay-As-You-Throw" (PAYT), a method of charging for solid waste services that many communities have found to be economically and environmentally sustainable and equitable.

PAYT, also known as unit-based or variable-rate pricing, provides a direct economic incentive for residents to reduce the amount of waste they generate. Under this system, households are charged for waste collection based on the amount of waste they throw away, in the same way that they are charged for electricity, gas and other utilities. As a result, residents are motivated not only to increase the amount they recycle but also to think about ways to generate less waste.

These free videoconferences will be held at Dundalk Community College Point Breeze Center on Broening Highway, the University of Maryland Wye Research and Education Center in Queenstown, the Research and Education Center in Keedysville in Western Maryland, the Patuxent River Naval Air Station in Southern Maryland, and the library at the University of Maryland at College Park. For more information, contact MDE at (410) 631-3956. Information also can be found on MDE's Home Page at mde.maryland.gov.

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