Grey Highlands council has received details on a bag tag phase out program before it switches to a new waste and recycling provider.
During the first meeting of the new council on Dec. 7, a report was brought forward by Environmental Compliance Specialist Jenn Eagan. It recommended approving refunds to bag tag distributors for any remaining yellow tags, and have all three waste and diversion sites for bagged household waste continue to accept yellow tags until June 30, 2023.
The report says earlier this year, a waste and recycling contract was awarded to Waste Management for 2023, making bag tags obsolete for curbside collection as of Jan. 1, 2023.
The report adds communication began between the municipality and distributors of bag tags like Home Hardware and Foodland to try and limit the sale of the tags for the remainder of the year. The distributors also informed residents of the approaching altering of services as well.
“With the automated cart system, no surplus waste outside of the carts will be collected. Any additional waste will be required to be brought to the waste and diversion sites for disposal following the current charges, or retained for the following collection date,” says the report.
Following suite when the green tags were changed to yellow in 2011, a six month grace period was allowed for the switch.
Staff are recommending doing the same thing for residents to dispose of bagged household waste at any site without the $3 charge per bag and a minimum of $5 being applied, allowing residents to use the bag tags they have purchased.
The report says there may be minimal impact to revenue at the sites as a result of this grace period for the first half of 2023.
