Landfill Shows Improvement

Town Council

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According to Bill Jones, head of Public Works for Saugeen Shores, the new 'pay as you throw' waste management program is working.

The program requires residents to buy tags for $1.50 each which are then attached to garbage bags. Bags not tagged are not picked up. What seems to be working however, is that less garbage is now going out of households into the landfill and more is going into recycling and, possibly, composting. Jones said that the diversion rate for the past year is 52 per cent and recycling is up five per cent.

Jones also confirmed that the new styrofoam initiative has exceeded expectations. "It's a fairly new program and already we have had two tractor-trailer loads taken away since February," he told Town Council Monday night, "as well as taking in over 600 light bulbs, all of which would have gone into the landfill.

Councillor Taun Frosst wanted to know if there were any new developments regarding Tim Horton cups. "Unfortunately," said Jones, "we still can't accept them."

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10/06/2009 09:14 PM

According to local Tim Horton owner, Louise Harshman, Tim Horton's is working on a totally recylable cup. Part of the problem is that each municipality has its own rules as to what it will accept into recycling and being able to cross all the borders is an issue.

Again, according to Jones, "The life expectancy of the landfill has gone from 13 to 15 years." He also explained that the department had amended the way the rate is calculated and that the daily cover rate had been 'standardized'.

Vice Deputy Mayor, Doug Gowanlock asked what people could do with their pesticides which are now banned and are also considered a hazardous waste. "Peope can bring those in on the Hazardous Waste Days," said Jones, "and we'll take care of them because there are now very stringent regulations as to their disposal."

Councillor Dianne Huber also said that there are still several composters available from the Town at a cost of $20 each.