By Pam Wright
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Chatham-Kent is moving towards a green bin program to divert organic waste from landfills.
It’s good news for the environment, as local residents are generating more waste than ever.
In an information presentation to municipal council recently, the municipality’s manager of waste management outlined next steps towards achieving the provincially mandated directive to divert at least 50 per cent of urban-generated organic waste by 2025.
Huda Oda told council the goal is “very ambitious” considering the fact the municipality is in the feasibility study phase. This year, staff will examine the development of a curbside green bin program, investigate a backyard composter program and explore a rural organics diversion system.
Recommendations will come back to council by year’s end, Oda said, and this may include procuring two green bins for each urban household, one for indoors and one for the curb.
The report outlined the fact that C-K has generated 25 per cent more garbage in 2021, compared to 2015.
When asked why by Chatham Coun. Alysson Storey, Oda said it’s believed “the increase is due to consumption.”
The figure is sobering as landfills are rapidly filling up across Ontario.
“If we continue at the same rate to generate waste – if we don’t do anything major – then we’re going to require about 16 new landfills,” Oda told council, to cover the province’s garbage output for the next 30 years.
Starting a landfill from scratch takes 10 years, she added.
Oda explained that about a third of Ontario’s waste is organic. Organic waste consists of leaf and yard waste, food waste and some personal hygiene waste, Oda said. Converting organic waste away from landfill is usually done through anaerobic digestion or composting, and the recycled material is primarily used by the agricultural community.
In previous years, the municipality offered backyard composters but the program was discontinued because of a lack of popularity.
Oda said neighbouring municipalities are on board with the provincial mandate. London launched its city-wide program in January of this year and Essex-Windsor is preparing for the same in 2025.
An estimated 98 per cent of Ontarians have access to a curbside leaf and yard waste program and around 78 per cent have access to a curbside “green bin” pickup program for organic waste. Chatham-Kent falls into the group of municipalities who do not.
Oda said all of the garbage collected in Chatham-Kent ends up in the Ridge Landfill.
C-K collects leaf and yard waste at the curb from eight communities and offers depot collection at nine locations. There are also eight municipal waste drop-off depots (transfer stations) that accept garbage and Blue Box materials from residents without curbside service.
