WELLINGTON NORTH – Wellington County residents should be able to take leaf and yard waste to Wellington County landfill and transfers stations for free beginning in October.
County councillor Steve O’Neil advised Wellington North council in an update at its Sept. 14 meeting that the county’s solid waste services (SWS) committee approved a staff recommendation to implement the change at its Sept. 8 meeting.
Currently leaf and waste taken to landfill and transfer stations is treated as garbage and charged at the same rate for disposal.
As of July 1, the county agreed to provide seasonal leaf and yard waste collection in urban areas.
This fall collections will be conducted in October and November.
At its July 27 meeting, Wellington North council passed a resolution requesting tipping fees at the Riverstown Landfill near Kenilworth be waived for leaf and yard waste from township residents “to help them transition to the new program and with keeping organics out of the waste stream.
A county staff report from SWS manger Das Soligo indicates the county decided to offer free leaf and yard waste drop-off because:
- residents were asked to self-deliver leaf and yard waste to the waste facilities and pay a fee to dispose of the material, while urban residents had access to curbside collection, with no user fee;
- Wellington North residents in Arthur and Mount Forest were accustomed to a different level of service previously provided by the township;
- Wellington County residents accustomed to using the City of Guelph’s waste facility for leaf and yard waste disposal at no cost, were told they must use county services following the post-COVID reopening of the city’s Waste Resource Innovation Centre (WRIC) and were disappointed to learn they would have to pay a fee, and have the material disposed of, rather than composted [at county waste facilities].
“Upon seeking clarification, SWS staff were advised that county residents may still use the WRIC to dispose of leaf and yard waste, but they would need to pay the assessed fee to do so,” the report notes.
O’Neil stressed that leaf and yard waste taken Wellington County landfill or transfer stations will be composted.
“It will not be going to the landfill. It will be composted,” he told council.
O’Neil also noted leaf and yard waste placed out for pickup on county collection days must be in paper bags.
Going forward in 2021, O’Neil stated, the county will be providing monthly leaf and yard waste pickup in urban areas from April through November.
Soligo’s report notes it is assumed the acceptance of leaf and yard waste at no cost will lead to a reduction in revenue.
However, the report points out, “the increase in waste disposal tipping fees in 2021 is estimated to more than offset any reduction in tipping fee revenues resulting from free leaf and yard waste drop-off at the waste facilities.”
The report also explains that the diversion of leaf and yard waste is expected to extend the life of the county’s only active landfill site.
Wellington North councillor Sherry Burke thanked O’Neil for the update and the SWS for recommending the changes, which will be presented to Wellington County council for approval at its Sept. 24 meeting.
“Yard waste and leaf collection is probably one of the number one questions I get asked about,” said Burke.
