Majority of county residents using rural waste pickup

More than half of rural residents are utilizing the recently-expanded garbage pickup service being offered by Wellington County and over 75 per cent are putting out their recycling for blue box collection.

However the numbers are substantially lower in new areas receiving the service, than in areas where rural pickup is more established.

County-wide rural collection began in July. Previously, rural residents only received garbage and recycling pickup in the Town of Erin and Guelph-Eramosa Township, the only municipalities in the county without a waste transfer station or landfill site.

Wellington County councillors received a progress report on rural collection at their Sept. 22 meeting, held in the Town of Minto at the site of the International Plowing Match and Rural Expo.

Across the county, a study shows 58% of rural residents are putting out their garbage for collection, while 76% are utilizing the recycling collection service.

However, those numbers include higher participation rates in areas where the service already existed.

Figures for all of 2016 indicate that, 48% in Guelph-Eramosa are using the garbage service and 72% recycle, while 68% of Erin residents put out their garbage and 76% their recycling.

Across the rest of the county, 22% have been using the garbage pickup service and 46% the recycling service.

Individual pickup rates in the new area, since the service began, are: Mapleton, garbage 21%, recycling 64%; Minto, garbage 27%, recycling 52%; Centre Wellington, garbage 20%, recycling 40%; Wellington North, garbage 20%, recycling 46%; Puslinch, garbage 21%, recycling 46%.

The report, submitted by county engineer Gord Ough, indicates the numbers suggests “an early adoption” of the expanded service by rural residents.

Long-term trend

“The long-term trend, which has been observed in Wellington County, has been that as the service becomes more established it is utilized by many more residents,” the report states.

“People are certainly accepting the service and putting out their refuse and recycling,” said councillor Don McKay.

However councillor David Anderson pointed to relatively low numbers for garbage pickup in Minto and Mapleton and wondered what level of participation would be required “to keep it viable.”

“We haven’t set a goal,” said McKay, who stressed that history has shown that usage picks up as people learn about the service.

“I wouldn’t be surprised to see (participation numbers) in the high 80s in a year or two,” said McKay.

Communication

The report notes the topic of rural collection accounted for 30% of the 1,570 calls and 27% of the 108 emails the county’s Solid Waste Services division received from May 1 until August 23.

“While a small minority was not in favour of the expanded service, the majority of calls and correspondence were supportive of the change and/or simply had questions on how to participate,” the report states.

“Residents using county waste facilities have also been largely supportive and receptive to county-wide rural collection.”