Barrington’s new trash and recycling program has been in place for less than three weeks, and while it’s too soon to render final judgment on the new system, it’s not too soon for a couple of clear observations …

• The 95-gallon barrels are too large for most households. The average home does not generate enough trash to fill half of the space in these cavernous containers. We know some homeowners are now treating these half-empty barrels as mini-dumpsters, taking advantage of the extra space to clear out closets, basements and garages.

Prediction: Watch for some of the savings in this new automated pickup system to be negated by an increase in landfill tipping fees, as homeowners fill their bins each week.

• Communication leading into the transition was limited. The town attached a flyer to the trash carts; some residents read it, others (apparently lots of others) did not. The town also posted information in its newsletter, but an abbreviated transition time to the new pickup program has led to a lot of confusion.

We’ve seen lots of barrels facing the wrong way. We’ve seen recycling bins piled so high with un-collapsed boxes that their lids can’t close. We’ve seen barrels placed up a driveway, facing the wrong way.

We’ve seen barrels in the middle of the roadway, and we’ve seen them so far from the roadway that the automated arm cannot reach them. We’ve seen them placed so tightly together that the arm cannot squeeze between them easily. We’ve seen bulky trash items leaning on top of the barrels.

All of these situations slow down the drivers, forcing delays in the system. We’ve seen an entire neighborhood’s waste sit uncollected for five days (the southern half of Alfred Drowne was finally collected on Tuesday).

Prediction: Things will get better as everyone eventually learns how the new system works, but blame does not lie with homeowners, it lies with a government that rushed through this transition with a condensed communication plan.

As it undergoes a massive expansion and renovation project, Barrington High School will unveil a new system for parking and traffic flow this fall. With the opening of the new school year still six weeks away, the school department has already delivered multiple messages outlining the details. They’ve shared a detailed diagram of the new traffic pattern. They’ve recorded and shared a video to explain the new system. Surely more messaging will follow as opening day draws closer.

When Bristol made the transition from the old trash system to the new several years ago, it spent months communicating with the public — direct-mail to each home, social media posts, newspaper articles and ads, public workshops, etc. By the time the first day arrived, most people were tired of hearing about it. But they knew what to do.

In Barrington, most folks are still figuring it out.