CAPE ELIZABETH – Compared to some of its neighboring towns, Cape Elizabeth is generating a lot of trash.

The comparison was brought to the table in a Town Council workshop Monday, when councilors discussed the potential of implementing a pay-per-throw trash disposal system, which would charge residents for each bag of trash as a way to increase recycling and reduce waste.

At the council meeting that followed, the councilors voted unanimously to hold a public hearing on the proposal on Monday, Sept. 13, at 7:30 p.m.

The implementation of a pay-per-throw system has raised the public’s ire in other Maine communities, such as Sanford and Waterboro. Out of a desire to explore what the public thinks about the idea, councilors have not drafted a specific plan to implement such a system. Instead, they will use the Sept. 13 public hearing as a way to gather input on the basic concept of switching to the fee-based system.

“We the council want to hear any and all thoughts on this,” said Chairwoman Anne E. Swift-Kayatta. “It’s going to be a pretty wide open input session so come on down and let us know what you think.”

Both Cumberland and Falmouth have switched to pay-per-bag systems, and in 2009-2010, those towns generated 448 and 396 pounds of trash per person, respectively. In that same time period, Cape Elizabeth generated 596 pounds of trash per person, according to a report by EcoMaine, a nonprofit waste management company owned and operated by 21 municipalities in southern Maine, including Cape Elizabeth and many neighboring communities.

Now, the cost of trash disposal in Cape Elizabeth is paid for entirely by property taxes. A pay-per-throw system more directly connects that cost to the people who use the service.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, “whether they pay through taxes or with a flat fee, residents who generate less and recycle more are paying for neighbors who generate two or even three times as much waste. When a few residents generate more waste, everyone pays for it. With (pay-as-you-throw), residents who reduce and recycle are rewarded with a lower trash bill.”

But during the workshop, participants suggested the high trash totals could come from any one of a number of variables, making it unwise to jump to conclusions.

“Did they really go down or did some people find it easier to sneak it into our hoppers?” said John Kane of the Recycling Committee, when comparing the pounds of trash from Cape Elizabeth and other communities. “I do not believe the citizens of Cape Elizabeth generate that much more trash than any other citizens.”

The numbers for Cape Elizabeth are actually significantly better than in previous years. The town decreased from 822 pounds of trash per person in 2006-2007, and enjoys a high recycling rate of 32 percent.

“I think you could make a list of a dozen things in every community that are variables,” said Town Manager Michael McGovern, who said he believed that Cape Elizabeth’s high volume of trash may be a result of residents who own businesses in other towns bringing it back home to Cape Elizabeth, where it can be picked up curbside for free.

McGovern pointed out that despite whatever variables come into play, the Environmental Protection Agency believes that the pay-per-bag system increases recycling and reduces waste. According to a recent town estimate, the town could save $3,676 for every 1 percent of trash diverted from the hopper to the recycling bins. That means if the 32 percent recycling rate was brought up to 50 percent it could save the town $70,000 per year, a 4-cent decrease in the tax rate.

Currently the expense of trash removal, which cost the town $745,000 in the last fiscal year, is paid solely through property taxes.

“You could get $300,000 extra in charging for the bags,” said McGovern. “You’ll be saving in tax dollars, but you’ll be charged in another way.”