The municipality is urging Chatham-Kent residents to get a little greener.
At Monday night’s council meeting a new organic waste diversion program was unanimously voted through.
Speaking to XS Mornings on Tuesday, Mayor Darrin Canniff explained why a green bin system was not implemented, with administration instead suggesting a different approach to diverting organic waste from landfills.
“We looked at the cost of doing [green bins] and it was huge. For now we are doing this and seeing where we can get to,” said Canniff.
Ontario’s food and organic waste policy statement is requiring municipalities to reduce their organic waste in landfills by 50 per cent by 2025. The mayor said Chatham-Kent sits at around 31 per cent.
One way the municipality is trying to achieve that is having yard waste and leaves to be collected bi-weekly from April to November in a brown compostable bag put out at the curb. This will start in 2027.
“We will have a program collecting it like it is garbage,” explained Canniff. “We are excited about that… we are retaking all those leaves, branches and everything else and making sure it doesn’t get to the landfill.”
Starting in 2026, residents will also have the option to purchase a $20 backyard composter.
“For when you have a banana peel and all those different things,” said Canniff.
Canniff said he is excited about the programs and hopes this will help Chatham-Kent keep organic waste out of the landfills.
