Recycling collection in Simcoe County will transition to the management of Circular Materials beginning January 1, according to the County of Simcoe.
This comes after an announcement by Ontario's Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks in October, which outlined Industrial, Commercial and Institutional (IC&I) properties will no longer receive curbside recycling collection as part of this transition.
Along with other municipalities, the County continues to advocate for small businesses and not-for-profit organizations in the new recycling collection program. But, formal notification gave the it notice that Circular Materials will not be able to provide recycling services to these properties as a result of the changes.
“The shift toward producer responsibility for recycling costs is intended to support long-term waste reduction, which is a goal we strongly support,” said Warden Basil Clarke in a news release. “At the same time, the exclusion of certain properties presents challenges for our community. The County has maintained one of Ontario’s most effective recycling programs for over 30 years, with high capture rates and dependable service. We remain committed to advocating for broader inclusion in the provincial program.
According to the County, places of worship, food banks, and small businesses, often produce waste volumes similar to residential households and currently account for just 1.4 per cent of its serviced units. Those statistics suggest that their inclusion could have been achieved with minimal disruption to the upcoming changes.
"We want to ensure affected organizations are aware that, starting January 1, they will need to make alternative arrangements for recycling," Clarke adds. "Our concern is that without accessible options, more recyclable materials may end up in the waste stream, undermining progress.”
Circular Materials is a non-profit organization that enhances recycling programs from which materials are collected, recycled and returned to producers for use as recycled content in new products and packaging. It was founded by 17 of Canada’s leading food, beverage and consumer products manufacturers, restaurants and retailers. Those companies include include Loblaw and Restaurant Brands International.
WHAT BUSINESSES AND INSTITUTIONS NEED TO KNOW
Starting January 1, recycling carts placed at the curb by IC&I properties will likely not be collected. However, IC&I propertied can directly request cart removal from the County. The County will keep providing garbage and organics collection for those properties as usual.
Businesses can drop off recycling at County waste facilities, which is subject to transfer, haulage, and processing costs. Those disposed items still must be separated from garbage properly.
REMINDER FOR RESIDENTS
As of Januaruy 1, residential recycling collection will be unchanged aside from the contracted collectors, which will be Emterra Environmental on behalf of Circular Materials.
Miller Waste will continue to collect garbage and organics, however, pickup times may change due to differing collection routes.
There will also be changes at County waste drop-off depots, where fees may be applied to recycling materials given that the County will no longer receive any subsidies for managing recycling.
The County says it remains committed to delivering high-quality waste services where applicable and supporting residents and businesses through this transition.
