If you’re like me, I can’t remember what to recycle each week; I can’t remember whether it’s a “paper” week – recycle newsprint, paper and cardboard – or whether it’s a “blue box” week – recycle cans, bottles, and plastic trays, tubs, and lids.
Well, starting February 28, two-and-a-half things are going to change on “garbage day.”
First, you will be able to recycle each “stream” of material every week. That means that we can take out both the paper recycling (in the grey bin) and the cans and bottles (blue box) each week.
But, don’t combine the materials into one bin; please keep it separate so that it can be collected in separate compartments on the trucks and effectively dealt with at the Recycling Centre.
We are also encouraged to continue to set out our “green bins” with food and compostable yard materials each week. Our family fills half a green bin each week with food scraps and other organics from the kitchen and bathroom. This way we keep the “yucky stuff” out of the landfill.
Second, you will be limited to one bag or container for garbage each week. I hope this will not be a problem for most households. We have two adults and two children in our home and each week for the last five years our garbage can has been only half-full while our green bin and two recycling containers are filled.
If you aren’t currently recycling or using your green bin, now is the time to start! Everything that you currently put at the curb for collection can still go to the curb for collection. It's just a matter of the container you use to put it at the curb! (If you need recycling containers, Staff at Pelham Town Hall would be pleased to assist you.)
There are exemptions for households with children in diapers and with individuals with medical conditions that result in extra waste.
What’s the half change? A new company – Emterra Environmental – recently won the seven-year collection contract. They decided that it would be more efficient to collect from some households with a Thursday collection on Tuesday. Generally, this change affects households from Victoria Avenue to Effingham Road and from Regional Road 20 to Welland Road. Unless you receive a separate notice by February 18, there will be no change to your collection day. (Please click HERE to see a map of the area that will change.)
With these improvements and the focus on increased diversion of waste to landfills, I hope we can start calling it “collection day” instead of “garbage day.”
For more information about the specific changes, please go to the Region's website by clicking HERE.
