City prepares to cut garbage collection to every two weeks

A consultant will recommend Monday that city garbage collection be reduced to every two weeks, with a new weekly curbside collection of organics.

If accepted by city council, the new plan stipulates leaf and yard waste would also be picked up every two weeks throughout the growing season.

The proposed changes in the Sault are prompted by a provincial emphasis on diverting organic household waste from landfills.

"As organics make up approximately 25 per cent of the waste stream, and contribute to the production of methane gas at the landfill, reduction of the disposal of organics material will be beneficial in the long term to climate change and our corporate carbon footprint," says Susan Hamilton Beach, the city's director of public works.

The changes also coincide with Ontario's move to transfer costs of the blue box program away from municipal taxpayers, making producers of products and packaging responsible for the litter they create, by the end of 2025.

Here in Sault Ste. Marie, the recycling transition is scheduled for September of this year.

Until Dec. 31, 2025, GFL will continue to be the Sault's recycling collection contractor, with weekly collections using the existing curbside split-body carts.

A report prepared for Monday's city council meeting by Rick Talvite from infrastructure consultant AECOM says the following equipment will be needed for the new approach:

• three split-body vehicles – automated with single arm on right and cart tipper on left (split-body collection vehicles cannot accommodate automated arms on both sides of the vehicle)
• one duty truck (split/body) – for three routes/day
• two single-body vehicles – automated with dual arms (left and right)
• one organics + leaf and yard (single body)
• one garbage + leaf and yard/spare (single body)

"It should be noted that this recommended system is to be effective as of the regulated requirement (2025), although equipment must be purchased in advance of that deadline in order receive the equipment on time," says Hamilton Beach.

"The implementation of the organics curbside collection program is also pending the construction of the processing plant which may result in the start being in 2026," Beach says in a report prepared for Mayor Matthew Shoemaker and council members.

"This recommended system is for the city's geographical area only as the hybrid approach to collection is recommended to move forward and the contractor shall provide the service as they see fit."

Monday's city council meeting will be livestreamed on SooToday starting at 4:30 p.m.