Changes are coming to garbage collections in Chatham-Kent in the next few weeks.
As of January 1st, bulk items will be collected quarterly, allowing residents to submit a bulk collection request for up to three items per collection date.
The municipality is also shifting to a fully automated garbage collection system, meaning all households will have to use bins that are compatible with the trucks’ automatic loading devices. Waste Connections of Canada, will distribute free 95-gallon wheeled refuse carts in January and February of 2024, with the option for replacement of this size with smaller carts of 65 or 25 gallons.
Other changes include extended hours at the Dover, Harwich, and Wallaceburg drop-off depots, and more consistent hours at the stand-alone leaf and yard depots in Romney and Chatham.
The municipality’s service provider for recycling will be changing in the new year, but there will be no impact on area residents or businesses for now.
Municipal officials say the altered waste management program will enhance service efficiency and achieve provincial expectations.