County garbage, recycling collection switches to every other week

News release from Simcoe County

Starting February 3, 2020, households will receive garbage and recycling collection on alternating weeks, while green bin collection will continue every week.

Your curbside waste collection is changing
To bring consistency and predictability back to your weekly waste collections and to support the growth of the green bin program, we are following other municipalities across Ontario in alternating curbside collection weeks for some of your materials.

What this means for County residents
-No change to your regular collection day. Collection times will change, so have your materials out by 7 a.m. on your collection day
-Green bin collection will continue to occur every week
-Garbage and recycling collection will alternate every other week (one week garbage the next week recycling)
-Residents can set out two bags/containers of garbage every other week (weight and size restrictions still apply)
-Recycling no longer needs to be separated into different bins. Materials will be sorted later in the process
-Excess recyclables can be placed in bins, cardboard boxes or see-through plastic bags

What are the benefits?
This change will help lead to long-term environmental benefits, encourage residents to positively adjust their waste habits, and control costs, since it:

-Encourages use of green bins and promotes increased diversion (40% of the average garbage bag consists of items that should go in the green bin)
-Helps keep organic materials out of landfills and thereby extends the lifespan of landfills
-Encourages reduction of single-use plastics, cans and containers
-Lowers greenhouse gas emissions produced by collection vehicles by reducing the number of trucks on the road each day
-Helps control contractual costs

How is the County supporting residents with this change?
While many Ontario municipalities have already transitioned successfully to bi-weekly collection services, the County recognizes that this is a significant change for residents. To support this change, a voucher for a FREE Blue Bin will be mailed to County residents to help store recyclables. One voucher per household can be redeemed at County Waste Management Facilities until February 28, 2020, while quantities last. Broad marketing and communication to residents will occur, including the annual waste calendar, which will be mailed to households in January.

The best way to track your collection week is through the Simcoe County Collects App. You can also call 1-800-263-3199 to sign up for weekly phone reminders and alerts.