County frustrated by waste collection changes

Luke Edwards

Grant Haven Media

Despite having no good option in sight, Norfolk councillors have asked county staff for more information on how to adopt provincially mandated recycling collection changes before making a decision.

“None of this is good,” said Mayor Amy Martin.

“I really don’t think it’s going to end well and I feel for those in the ICI (industrial, commercial and institutional) sector, and I think there will be some significant negative effects of it that the municipality will have to pick up, but I don’t know that we can put that burden onto the levy for everybody else.”

Municipalities across the province have been moving away from managing their own waste collection as legislation from Queen’s Park is putting the onus on producers. Producer Responsibility Organizations (PRO) are supposed to work with municipalities to administer garbage and recycling collection. However, earlier this fall the county received notification from the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, and the PROs that they will be unable to fulfill recycling collection for the industrial, commercial and institutional sector. A co-collection program that saw partial funding from Norfolk to ensure ICI recycling collection will come to a close at the end of the year.

A staff report outlined three options. First, the county could leave it to the individual businesses and institutions to secure their own recycling contracts. Second, Norfolk could develop an opt-in system.Finally, they could accept non-eligible source recycling at transfer stations.

“I can think of all the downsides to every one of the staff recommendations, but I can’t see an upside to any of them. And I think the mayor’s right, we didn’t start this but somehow we’re going to take the flak for it, I know that,” said Coun. Chris Van Paassen.

Maintaining a dedicated service would come with a significant cost, staff estimate around $300,000 to $400,000. Because it would have to be a separate service from residential collection the costs quickly escalate, said Merissa Bokla, supervisor of waste management.

Accepting the recycling at transfer stations would also come with a cost, albeit smaller. The report estimates processing fees for that system would be around $30,000.

That system, as well as one that leaves it up to the individual, could also see recycling simply end up in the garbage stream.

“I have a great fear with what’s going to happen with all those recycle materials is you’re going to find it in the garbage, or on the side of the road,” said Coun. Doug Brunton. 

Before referring the report back to staff for more information, Martin proposed the option that would leave it up to individual organizations. While unfortunate, she said the county is somewhat stuck. On the one hand, the Province has directed municipalities they are not to be in the business of waste collection any longer. And on the other, the PRO decision means a key sector is being left out.

Reducing the service, if only for a year, would give them insight into how the changes affect Norfolk, she said.

“I think there’s a lot of merit in reducing the service level as per the province direction, watching our scale and tonnage numbers and seeing if we end up spending more by all of this recycling going into waste and if so staff will be back before a council to determine savings, without a doubt,” she said.

Van Paassen pointed out this “do nothing” option includes the county, since the municipality is within the ICI sector. That means Norfolk would have to figure out what it would do with recycling at its facilities.

The referral seeks some more information, including costs to the county under the “do nothing” option, as well as attempts to secure more updated and accurate estimates, as well as potential options for servicing downtown cores.

nally, they could accept non-eligible source recycling at transfer stations.

“I can think of all the downsides to every one of the staff recommendations, but I can’t see an upside to any of them. And I think the mayor’s right, we didn’t start this but somehow we’re going to take the flak for it, I know that,” said Coun. Chris Van Paassen.

Maintaining a dedicated service would come with a significant cost, staff estimate around $300,000 to $400,000. Because it would have to be a separate service from residential collection the costs quickly escalate, said Merissa Bokla, supervisor of waste management.

Accepting the recycling at transfer stations would also come with a cost, albeit smaller. The report estimates processing fees for that system would be around $30,000.

That system, as well as one that leaves it up to the individual, could also see recycling simply end up in the garbage stream.

“I have a great fear with what’s going to happen with all those recycle materials is you’re going to find it in the garbage, or on the side of the road,” said Coun. Doug Brunton. 

Before referring the report back to staff for more information, Martin proposed the option that would leave it up to individual organizations. While unfortunate, she said the county is somewhat stuck. On the one hand, the Province has directed municipalities they are not to be in the business of waste collection any longer. And on the other, the PRO decision means a key sector is being left out.

Reducing the service, if only for a year, would give them insight into how the changes affect Norfolk, she said.

“I think there’s a lot of merit in reducing the service level as per the province direction, watching our scale and tonnage numbers and seeing if we end up spending more by all of this recycling going into waste and if so staff will be back before a council to determine savings, without a doubt,” she said.

Van Paassen pointed out this “do nothing” option includes the county, since the municipality is within the ICI sector. That means Norfolk would have to figure out what it would do with recycling at its facilities.

The referral seeks some more information, including costs to the county under the “do nothing” option, as well as attempts to secure more updated and accurate estimates, as well as potential options for servicing downtown cores.