Amherstburg council to vote on Regional Waste Management initiative

By Meagan Delaurier

Published: September 25, 2023 at 11:20 AM

TO GO WITH AFP STORY BY ANNE MEYER
A hand presents earthworms above a worm composter filled up with kitchen waste, on May 2, 2013, in a lombricole farm in Lanouee, western France. Earthworms produce manure drain waste from households fermenticides, which will be used as compost. AFP PHOTO / FRANK PERRY (Photo credit should read FRANK PERRY/AFP/Getty Images) — TO GO WITH AFP STORY BY ANNE MEYER A hand presents earthworms above a worm composter filled up with kitchen waste, on May 2, 2013, in a lombricole farm in Lanouee, western France. Earthworms produce manure drain waste from households fermenticides, which will be used as compost. AFP PHOTO / FRANK PERRY (Photo credit should read FRANK PERRY/AFP/Getty Images)Organic waste (Photo courtesy of FRANK PERRY/AFP/Getty Images)

The new change would see biweekly garbage collection, weekly organic collection, biweekly leaf and yard waste collection, and monthly white goods collection.

The topic of garbage and waste management will make its way to Amherstburg this evening.

During today's Amherstburg meeting, council will be presented with the report on the County's Regional Waste Management initiative.

If Amherstburg supports the County of Essex by-law, it would transfer all power of the lower-tier municipalities to the County with respect to the collection of waste and the delivery of such waste.

The new change would see bi-weekly garbage collection, weekly organic collection, bi-weekly leaf and yard waste collection, and monthly white goods collection.

Approval is being sought by all municipalities now, so that in the case of approval and uploading, a tender can be issued in late fall of 2023, to allow for a 2025 contract start.

Chris Gibb, Amherstburg deputy mayor, says if municipalities oppose they may face a sticker shock when the time comes for a new waste collection contract.

"It's probably going to be something, even if we don't vote to go ahead with it right now, I think when Amherstburg's waste collection contract comes up for renewal we might be forced to do it anyway because the prices from what I'm hearing are coming in way, way over what everyone expects."

He says it would take a lot of getting used to if approved.

"But no different then when we all started recycling years ago, no different then when we all had to start wearing seatbelts. It's a big change, but the rest of province has been doing this for years. And if we don't protect our landfill and use it as efficiently as possible, it's going to cost $90-$100-million to open a new regional landfill."

Gibb says the organic diversion is mandated by the province.

"So if you don't have that stinky garbage, or that garbage that attracts all the vermin and the bugs then it's not too bad to hold onto your garbage for two weeks. We do it right now with our recycling. So I think with the organic diversion, every two week garbage pick-up is doable."

This by-law will require that at least four of the seven local municipalities, comprising at least 50 per cent of the electors in the County pass resolutions in support of the change.

So far, the Town of Tecumseh and the Municipality of Leamington approved the by-law change, however the Town of Essex council unanimously opposed the change during their meeting last week.

Amherstburg council meets at 6 p.m. Monday.