By Stephen Vance, Staff
Meaford’s council has given final approval to some significant changes to the municipal waste collection services.
At their July 27 meeting, council awarded a new contract for blue bin recycling, green bin organics collection, and solid waste collection to Miller Waste Systems.
Under the new contract, the items that can be discarded with your curbside recyclables and organics have been expanded to include styrofoam, plastic film, and cat litter/pet bedding. Additionally there will be approximately seven pickup dates through the spring and summer months for large and bulky items that would normally have had to be transported to Meaford’s transfer station – which will be closed as part of the changes to the municipal waste management system.
Meaford Treasurer Darcy Chapman told council that the changes, while expanding services, will actually save the municipality roughly $50,000 per year.
The municipality will be closing the Meaford Transfer Station for good at 3:00pm on Saturday, September 26. Meaford residents will continue to be able to use the Miller Waste Transfer station in Owen Sound, located at 2085 20th Avenue East in the City Industrial Park.
While many residents will benefit from not having to transport their large items to the municipal transport station, not everyone is pleased with the plan to close the transfer station, including Jim Barfoot, who owns the property where the transfer station is located.
“In my view, the Meaford Transfer Station’s benefits have not been clearly addressed, or have been given sufficient weight throughout the RFP (request for proposal) process,” Barfoot told The Independent. Barfoot feels that the RFP process was flawed, and discouraged competition.
He also questions how well served Meaford residents will be after the transfer station is closed.
“The majority of the users of this facility reside in the eastern side of the municipality. Residents of the western side of the municipality use the transfer station in Owen Sound. Of course there is a cost savings associated with the closure of the Meaford transfer station, however the corresponding inconvenience and costs incurred by residents in the eastern side of the municipality have been ignored. The Owen Sound transfer station is approximately 30 kilometres away from eastern Meaford. This does not represent fair and equitable treatment for those residents and businesses located in the eastern part of the municipality,” suggests Barfoot.
Further information will be released as the details for curbside pickup of the new items becomes finalized. You can visit www.meaford.ca/operations/garbage-and-recycling.html for up-to-date information on Meaford waste services.
Leaf and Yard waste drop-off will also continue to be available at 157859 7th Line, Meaford from mid-April to mid-November.
The existing curbside Collection Areas and Collection Days will remain the same.
