The long-anticipated province wide plan of revamping Ontario’s recycling system has now officially been rolled out. The change has been in the works since July of 2023, when the Blue Box Act became the Waste Diversion Ontario Act. The most significant aspect of the change is the shifting of the responsibility to collect curbside recycling onto the producers of the packaging. For example, Coca-Cola is now responsible for collecting and recycling its own bottles.
It stands to reason that it would be impractical for dozens upon dozens of different companies to each send out a truck to collect recyclable materials from every residential curb, and specifically only products that were produced by their company. Instead, companies who produce packaging have consorted to hire independent contractors within the countless municipalities across the province, essentially taking over the collection of recycling from municipal staff. Garbage continues to be collected separately, by municipal trucks or existing contractors.
In North Dundas, many residents have undoubtedly already noticed the change. While the day of collection remains the same as in previous years, residents will now notice two separate trucks coming on their collection day – one for garbage, and one for recycling. The trucks will come at different times, and so it’s important not to rely on previously formed habits of putting out garbage and recycling close to the expected collection time.
In this first month of the change being in effect, some residents have found their recycling not to be collected on their usual garbage day. Kinks are to be expected in the rollout of a massive policy change such as this one. Employees of the new contractor must learn the routes and settle into a routine. Mistakes are bound to be made. One of the most important things residents can do to avoid missing a collection is to put their garbage and recycling at the curb no later than 7am on collection day. Use a bin with a lid, if needed, to deter animals from rummaging through garbage.
While social media certainly has its flaws, one way that it has been particularly useful during this transition is for residents to answer each other’s questions regarding the change. It seems January 2025 will be remembered as the month in which it was “trending” to post the time of one’s recycling pick up on local online community groups. Posts have been frequent from all areas of North Dundas, with residents trying to help each other get used to the new schedule.
Thanks to the province wide change, a wider variety of items can now be accepted for recycling. Residents can continue to use the Recycle Coach app to check which type of recycling is being collected in a given week, as well as which day of the week their collection happens. Issues specific to recycling collection can be brought directly to the contractor via https://www.emterra.ca/.