Prince Edward County is looking at ways to increase waste diversion.
At Thursday’s Committee of the Whole meeting, council received a report from the Operational Services Department on the status of solid waste collection, disposal, and diversion.
Council did direct staff to investigate options for improving waste diversion of organics, including subsidizing green bins and composters but also increasing the use of backyard composters.
CAO Marcia Wallace says the reason for this is two-fold.
“Organic curbside pick-up is a hugely expensive part of our budget. So it is much more expensive for us to do curbside pick-up than it is regular waste disposal. So notwithstanding all the good reasons to do waste diversion, that there’s also a fiscal rationale to encourage those with the property that would allow for home-based composting, it would save the County a lot of money.”
A staff review of waste records shows Prince Edward County’s waste diversion rates have been stable over the past 6 years, ranging between 34% and 40% with that number around 37% in 2020.
However, as the Ontario government has set a provincial goal of 50% waste diversion by 2030 and 80% by 2050, County staff are also recommending implementing education programs and initiatives that focus on the importance of recycling, organics separation and green bin usage.
