County sees clearly when it comes to waste collection
Clear garbage bags could boost green-bin use for residents across Simcoe County
By Laurie Watt Barrie Today
Using clear garbage bags may be one way for Simcoe County to encourage residents to make better use of their green bins, says the chair of its corporate services committee, Adjala-Tosorontio Deputy Mayor Doug Little.
A recent curbside audit revealed 40 per cent of waste in the garbage bag – food scraps, tissues, paper towels and paper plates – could have been kept out of county landfills and instead sent for organics processing.
“It’s disheartening seeing residents really working hard. We should look at clear bags. It works in Dufferin County,” Little told county council Thursday, just four days before the county is to announce its preferred site for an organics processing facility (OPF).
“We should recognize communities that show strong committed efforts in recycling. We have to do more because our numbers are going down.”
The audit revealed blue box use is up. The capture rate is now at 87 per cent, up from 83 per cent in 2010.
By contrast, the audit revealed the green bin program is capturing about 38 per cent of organic waste, down from 47 per cent in 2010.
Leave a Reply