Starting next week, recycling won't be a municipal responsibility. Here's everything you need to know

CBC

August 23, 2024 at 4:04 a.m.·2 min read

Red and blue recycling boxes are shown in the garage of a Windsor, Ont., home. (Bob Becken/CBC - image credit)

Recycling and collection will no longer be a municipal responsibility, starting Aug. 28.

Circular Materials will be the new administrator across the province for recycling collection.

Due to changes in the provincial legislation, this will now be the responsibility of Green For Life Environmental Inc. (GFL), a contractor that has been hired by Circular Materials to collect residential recycled waste in Windsor and Essex County.

The Essex-Windsor Solid Waste Authority (EWSWA) says that residents won't see big changes to the program, however. Here's what you need to know.

What is this transition and why is it happening?

The province is moving toward a common collection system across Ontario, under which the responsibility of recycling is transitioning away from the municipal government to the producers.

About 365 communities across the province that have already transitioned under new legislation.

Cat Griffin, communications coordinator for the EWSWA, said producers are now responsible for recycling the packaging of the products that they're making.

"So they're the producers and they are now responsible for recycling the products, the packaging of the products that they're making. They're the ones that are profiting off of their products, so they should be the ones responsible for recycling the packaging," she explained.

Cat Griffin is the communications coordinator for the Essex Windsor Solid Waste Authority (Ankur Gupta/CBC)

What does this transition mean for residents?

According to the EWSWA, there are no major changes to recycling collection or what can be placed in your bin.

"We are expecting a seamless transition and residents should just be able to put the recycling out as per usual," Griffin said.

Beginning Aug. 28, residents should put recycling out by 6 a.m. on their regular scheduled day as the collection can happen any time between 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

For any inquiries or issues related to bins or carts or for new builds residents should contact GFL directly at 1-844-415-4351 or online at WeRecycling@gflenv.com.

One small change is that residents will no longer be able to recycle hard and softcover books and empty paint cans.

The empty paint cans and empty spray paint cans are not being accepted by GFL.

Griffin said these fall under household chemical waste.

"Now, if you have empty spray paint cans or empty paint cans, you can drop them off and we will recycle them at one of the Essex Windsor, solid waste authorities depots will recycle them for free at the depot," she said.

The three free drop depots are located in Windsor, Essex and Kingsville.

"We're telling people to donate their books," she said.

The cost of recycling will now be covered by Circular Materials on behalf of the producers. The EWSWA will still be doing some non-eligible business and nonprofit recycling, those of which are already on their list.

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