Certain recycling services terminated

Beginning Jan. 1, industrial, commercial and institutional properties will no longer receive curbside recycling collection.

The change is driven by a province- wide shift announced last year by the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks.

Despite ongoing advocacy by the County of Simcoe and other lower tier municipalities to include small businesses and not-for-profit organizations in the new recycling collection program, the county announced it has received formal notification that the contractor, Circular Materials, that it will not be providing recycling services to these properties under the current framework.

The county had argued that locations, such as places of worship, food banks, and small businesses, often produce waste volumes similar to residential households and currently account for just 1.4 per cent of the county’s serviced units, suggesting that their inclusion could have been achieved with minimal disruption.

“The shift toward producer responsibility for recycling costs is intended to support long-term waste reduction, which is a goal we strongly support,” said Warden Basil Clarke in a press release. “At the same time, the exclusion of certain properties presents challenges for our community. The county has maintained one of Ontario’s most effective recycling programs for over 30 years, with high capture rates and dependable service. We remain committed to advocating for broader inclusion in the provincial program, and we want to ensure affected organizations are aware that, starting Jan. 1, they will need to make alternative arrangements for recycling. Our concern is that without accessible options, more recyclable materials may end up in the waste stream, undermining progress.”

The Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority (NVCA) was also calling on the province to include small industrial, commercial and institutions and also to expand waste separation requirements and extend the Ontario Deposit Return Program to cover non-alcoholic beverage containers.

NVCA chair Jonathan Scott raised concerns about an increased risk of illegal dumping, blocking stormwater systems, degrading water quality and heightening flood and erosion hazards.

“Conservation authorities are on the front lines of protecting people, property and ecosystems from flooding and pollution. When recycling isn’t accessible, the environmental costs show up directly in our creeks, rivers and stormwater systems,” wrote Scott in a letter to the minister. “Alongside our member municipalities, we are worried about a loss of recycling services to our downtown small businesses and places of worship resulting from unintended consequences in provincial regulations.”