Not much is expected to change from the perspective of Guelph residents when packaging producers take over recycling in the city next year – part of a phased-in, province-wide plan to shift the cost entirely away from property taxpayers.
When the changeover happens, residents’ collection days will remain the same, but the time of day their blue bin is picked up may differ, explained Cameron Walsh, the city’s division manager of solid waste resources.
“There will be those minor changes,” he said. “Residents can rest assured that the city is working … to ensure that the service is not negatively impacted and as seamless as possible.”
As of Jan. 1, the City of Guelph will no longer be responsible for the collection of recyclable materials from the blue carts or be involved in what happens with materials once collected. That will be up to a not-for-profit organization created by packing producers known as Circular Materials (CM).
The city will still handle organic materials from green carts and the non-recyclable grey cart waste.
That recycling responsibility change is anticipated to save Guelph residents about $1.5 million next year alone – a figure that’s already factored into the draft 2025 city budget which features a variety of service cuts.
Currently, property taxpayers cover half of the cost of recycling programs, with packaging producers on the hook for the rest.
On behalf of CM, recyclables will be collected by Waste Management Corporation of Canada.
The city will continue to operate a public drop-off area for recyclables at the Waste Resource Innovation Centre on Dunlop Drive through 2025.
What will happen with the city’s recycling facilities when CM takes over?
As Walsh explained, the equipment will be sold off and the space renovated for other uses, including moving bin-cleaning operations indoors.
“There's a bunch of functionality benefits to it. It sort of knocks the edges off some of our operations and makes them more efficient and better for staff and things like that,” he said.
The space is also expected to be used for fleet and facility maintenance and it “eliminates the need for trailers and port-a-potties that are currently used for our collections operations staff,” Walsh said.
Funds generated through the sale of equipment are to be put toward the cost of renovating the space, he noted.
