Grey Highlands council is requesting staff report on bringing back the re-use container program at all of its landfill sites this year.
During a March 1 meeting, council received a motion from Mayor Paul McQueen.
The motion says for over 35 years, the terms reduce, reuse, and recycle have been promoted to divert waste from landfills. Prior to the Covid pandemic, the municipality promoted and provided containers at its landfill sites for re-use.
“I know from a number of residents, this had great feedback when this was up and running,” says McQueen. “I know there is a lot of stuff that gets put on Marketplace and Kijiji and different things like that, I just think there is an opportunity that if somebody else can reuse something, why not help provide less space in our landfill that is being diverted, and I think that is the whole key of it, with it being diverted for somebody else to use.”
Deputy Mayor Dane Nielsen says the items brought to the re-use program are stored within a container for a period of time where residents can visit and see if they would like to take anything. If an item is not taken after a while, it is disposed of to make more room for future items.
Coun. Nadia Dubyk proposed having staff report on bringing back the program, amending McQueen’s initial motion of reviving the program.
McQueen in response says he felt timing was important, and while supporting the updated motion, he added they should move on the program sooner rather than later for residents to make use of it.
“The amendment is asking for staff to come back and be able to flesh out how this program can be implemented,” says Nielsen.
CAO Karen Govan added the importance of conducting research, securing the containers, and determine which items could be re-used.
