News clips: County’s proposed mandatory waste measures
Simcoe County proposal would see garbage left behind if green bin isn’t curbside
Simcoe County waste management staff is considering an unconventional way of getting people to use their organic bins.
Waste management director Rob McCullough says staff is considering not collecting regular garbage if a green bin isn’t being used.
It’s just one of six proposals aimed at increasing organic waste diversion – standardized bin size is another.
“We’re only getting about 40 per cent of the material in the green bin that should be there,” McCullough says.
County staff aim to have 71 per cent of all waste disposed correctly by 2020. Right now that figure’s at 60 per cent.
“Everyone produces materials that should go in the green bin. However, we have got a concept together that would allow people not to participate in the program.”
“The only way we can attain it, is by some pretty specific changes.”
At this point the proposal is still in its preliminary stage, but come next Tuesday it will be presented at a committee meeting where council will have a chance to debate, revise it or toss it out.
County moving to no green bin, no garbage collection, if SWM action approved
New Tecumseth Free Press September 21 2016
Simcoe County’s solid waste management (SWM) department is recommending council approve making it mandatory for residential and businesses to “utilize a green bin for diversion of organics in order for their garbage to be eligible for weekly curbside collection.”
The ‘mandatory diversion’ recommendation is included in the September 27 County council agenda, and suggests, if approved, the policy would take effect May 1, 2017. That’s sooner than its own Strategy Update recommended which would make it effective in the fourth quarter of 2017. The earlier timeline would be “in order that the impact on organics tonnages can be determined and considered in development of the County’s Organics Processing Facility.”
Currently, the green bin organics collection is operating at about 60 per cent diversion (from landfill) rate. The County’s goal is 71 per cent by 2020.
The SWM report to council includes acknowledgement that there will be “resistance to the policy” from residents and small business, backyard composter users, seasonal property owners, and from the commercial/industrial sector that receives collection from the County.
“(T)his measure (requiring the green bin to be put out) is a straightforward approach for residents and small business to understand and for collections and County staff to enforce,” according to the report. “The Strategy Update identified that this option may be met with resistance by residents and that opinions on the By-law were mixed during the public consultation. However, the green bin is a tool that has been provided to residents to utilize voluntarily up to this point; the By-law would simply require users of County garbage collection service to utilize the tool provided. It would not require a behaviour change for all households, only the 35-40 per cent which are not already using the green bin.”
Enforcement would be done by the waste collectors at curbside, who “would place a refusal sticker on garbage where a location has failed to also set out a green bin for collection and record the location through their onboard reporting mechanism in collection vehicles.”
If approved, SWM recommends a “grace period” whereby residents and business would have a pre-determined period of time – April 1 to Aug. 31 – to secure a replacement green bin at no cost. The estimated net cost of the mandatory program is $806,000.
“Staff anticipates that there may be some residents that feel that they don’t generate green bin organics. An exemption program would be implemented and utilized for the few locations that actually do not produce any organic material. It is anticipated that those who feel they would fit into this category would contact Customer Service whereupon a variety of common but less known organic materials would be suggested to the resident, if following this the resident continues to maintain they have no organic material a by-law enforcement officer would be deployed to perform a random audit.
“If this determines that there are organic materials present, the location would be required to comply with the By-law in order for their garbage to be collected. If the audit results indicate otherwise, the location would be provided with an identifier for their waste container such as a sticker.”
Lower bag limit, fewer double-up days, standard size containers in the offing
New Tecumseth Free Press September 21 2016
Simcoe County’s solid waste management (SWM) department is proposing several changes to the weekly curbside collection program including implementing an 80 litre standard size garbage container, reducing the number of tagged bags permitted from seven to three, and eliminating ‘double-up’ exemptions on Victoria Day and Thanksgiving.
Each of the recommended changes are proposed as separate motions on the September 27th County council meeting.
The standardized container size would eliminate – following a grace period – collection of bins larger than 80 litres. Still to be determined is whether the County will provide each household with the standard sized bin, which includes wheels, at no charge.
The elimination of two double up days – which permit two untagged bags – leaves only the Boxing Day week double-up.
At the same time, the SWM is proposing electronics and textile collection pilot projects in 2017. If approved, the details of each program will follow in the new year.
This is insane! But so typical of the County.
It would be so much easier to use clear plastic bags so they can see if there are any organics or recyclables in there.
That would also eliminate the problem with people who compost their own organics.
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I hope they don’t make everyone pay for an 80 litre standard size garbage container.
I only put out a small kitchen-catcher size bag of mostly plastic wrap garbage every other week, so I don’t need a large container.
There again, a proper sized clear garbage bag provided by the county would work much better and be much cheaper.