Region of Waterloo
Waste Management eNews:
September, 2015
Keeping residents informed about
our programs and services
Are you falling back into routines or jumping
into new ones?
With the start of school, students, teachers, parents and our
community as a whole, get back to routines. Gone are the
carefree days of summer! We are back to schedules, "to do"
lists, and maybe even some fall cleaning. However, the changing
season also brings an opportunity to re-examine and refresh our
daily tasks. We hope this eNews gives you inspiration for both
new and old routines.
Curbside collection routines will be changing
In May, Regional Council approved significant changes to curbside waste collection programs which
are expected to increase diversion and extend the life of our landfill.
In March, 2017, all eligible households will have the same level of collection service in the Region,
and garbage will be limited to four cans or bags every other week. For more details about these
changes, please go to our website.
Our overall diversion rate (what we throw away, but keep out of the landfill) has remained at 52 to 53
per cent for a number of years. (This percentage includes recycling, green bin and yard waste, scrap
metal and other diversion programs.) This is a good rate compared to other municipalities, but not the
highest. Our new service levels are expected to boost the amount of recyclables diverted from landfill
by up to ten per cent!
These changes are the result of extensive research and residential surveys related to the Waste
Management Master Plan approved by Regional Council in November, 2013. The article below shows
how Gung-ho residents are in embracing their new routine!
Gung-ho for green bins
Ever since the new curbside collection services
were announced in May, more residents have been
eager to start green binning. The number of starter
kits for new green binners has risen over 40 per cent
compared with last year!
Join the crowd! If you don’t have a green bin,
please pick one up at either our Waterloo (925 Erb
Street West, Gate 1) or Cambridge (201 Savage
Drive) Administration buildings between 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday.
If you have a green bin, but need a refresher, call customer service 519-575-4400 or check out
this brochure. We are here to help.
Swap it! Little things that make a big difference everyday
Shopping
Instead of individually-packaged cookies for lunches...buy in bulk and put cookies in reusable containers. This reduces packaging/garbage (since foil and plastic pouches are not recyclable), and should
save money, too!
If you are in the market for new furniture or clothing, instead of buying new...consider buying used.
There are a lot of local great second hand shops with a variety of gently-used items. Also, consider
checking out auction sales and garage sales.
Blue box recycling:
When you are out and about shopping or at the arena, instead of throwing
everything in the garbage because there are no recycling bins available...bring
your recyclables home and put them in your own blue box.
Instead of throwing all your recyclables in one box...have two boxes, one for:
• plastic, metal and glass containers, and
• milk cartons, juice boxes, and paper coffee cups and the other for:
• bagged newspaper and other paper,
• flattened boxboard (cereal boxes, toilet paper tubes, etc.), and
• bagged bags (plastic bread bags, veg bags and outer wrap from packages
of diapers or paper towels, etc.).
This keeps your boxes tidy and collection more efficient.
Green bin recycling:
Instead of picking up pet waste using regular plastic bags, use certified compostable plastic bags.
Check our website for local stores that carry the correct types of bags having one of these logos:
What do I do with…
Cases of pop or
water bottle with
cardboard tray and
plastic outer wrap
Broken blue box
Please separate each type of material since they go
to different recycling companies:
• Remove/empty containers and place them
loose in your blue box (or blue recycling cart for
multi-residential recyclers).
• Remove and flatten the cardboard tray and
bundle with other cardboard no larger than 75
cm x 75 cm x 20 cm (30 in. x 30 in. x 8 in.) Place
bundle beside your blue box (or inside the grey
cardboard cart for multi-residential recyclers).
• Put plastic outer wrap in a bag with other types
of outer wrap and bags and tie shut. Put in your
blue box (or grey recycling cart) with paper.
Return it to the Region’s Cambridge (201 Savage
Drive) or Waterloo (925 Erb Street West - Gate 1)
Waste Management sites between 8:30 a.m. and
4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday. We can recycle it!
Pick up a replacement blue box at local hardware
and office supply stores. Check out this buying
guide for details.
Foil wrappers
Wrappers from granola bars and candy are not
recyclable. Put these in the garbage. (Try to avoid
buying them.)
Drinking box
Put the straw in the garbage. Place empty container
in the blue box (or blue recycling cart) with plastic,
metal and glass containers.
Do you have an item and are not sure what to do with it? Ask the Waste Whiz!
How to handle large, bulky items
A few times during the year, perhaps after spring or fall
cleaning sprees, you may have out-of-the-ordinary items
that don’t fit into a regular garbage bag or can. These
large, bulky items could be anything from appliances
and furniture to doghouses and shelving.
Here are some tips on how to deal with them:
1. If you receive delivery of goods, ensure the store removes the old goods and takes back the packaging for recycling.
2. If the item is still in good condition, consider donating
it to a charity, or giving it away or selling it on local
classified ad sites (e.g. Kijiji).
3. If you set items out to the curb for collection, please
set them out on the correct day and prepare them
appropriately. There are weight limits and conditions
that need to be met to ensure items are safe to collect. See our website for details.
Please forward this award winning electronic newsletter to your
friends and family using the link at the end, or even better, send
them the link to the Region’s subscription page. There they can
quickly sign up for Waste Management eNews and any other topic
that they are keen on.
This spring, our newsletter won Silver in the Digital Tool category for
the Municipal Waste Association Promotion and Education Awards.
Our landfill isn’t what you think: garbage
doesn’t really go away
Our landfill located at 925 Erb Street West in Waterloo is
not your average “dump”. It is designed to safely seal in and
store your garbage to protect the environment. Its engineered
clay liner and cap, and environmental control systems create
conditions that preserve garbage since oxygen, liquid and gas
are removed.
It’s important to minimize your waste and maximize your recycling to ensure our one-and-only landfill
operates as long as possible.
Want to learn more? Here are links to information sheets:
•
Landfill gas to energy
•
Closed landfills
3R’s at school now includes
recycling organics!
It used to be Reading, wRiting and aRrthimetic, but
now school curriculums and daily duties also
include Reduce, Reuse and Recycle programs,
including the Region’s Green Cart organics
program. Keen principals, teachers, and “Green
Teams” in over 60 schools organize and monitor
the program, and teach others that food scraps and
paper towels are actual resources which are turned
into compost for farmers’ fields.
As we start another school year, green cart recycling routines will begin again. Plus there are a
few new schools starting on the program this September!
Our thanks to all local schools that are participating and fostering future generations of ultimate
recyclers!
Contact us: Region of Waterloo, Waste Management Division, 925 Erb Street West,
Waterloo, ON N2J 3Z4 Phone: 519-883-5100 TTY: 519-575-4608 Email:
[email protected] Visit: Region of Waterloo website Follow us! Twitter:
@WasteWR Facebook: Region of Waterloo Waste Management
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