4 Friday, May 31, 2024 brooklintowncrier.com More Talking Trash Regional Councillor Rhonda Mulcahy Blue Box Transition Starting July 1, 2024, Durham's Blue Box program will transition to the organization "Circular Materials" on behalf of all producers of products and packaging recycled in the Blue Box in Ontario. Although responsibility for the blue box recycling program is changing, there will be no immediate change to how residents recycle during the transition period. The provincially regulated transition of the Blue Box program from municipalities to producers is planned to be seamless. Residents should not notice a change in service. There will be no changes to the list of materials collected in the blue box or the blue box collection schedule from July 1, 2024, until completion of the transition to the new Ontario-wide collection system on December 31, 2025. Durham's recycling program will also continue to use two separate blue boxes for papers and containers. Producers may make changes to the Blue Box Program after January 1, 2026. The Province created the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, 2016, "to hold persons who are most responsible for the design of products and packaging responsible for the products and packaging at the end of life." It also created the Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority to oversee and enforce the performance of the new Blue Box Program. These changes will provide recycling to more communities across Ontario and move towards standardizing and expanding what can be recycled while ensuring that Producers continue providing a quality Blue Box recycling program. The aim is to improve waste management services across the province and reduce waste in our community. For more information, visit durham.ca/BlueBox. About Circular Materials Circular Materials is a national not-for-profit organization. It builds efficient and effective recycling systems where materials are collected, recycled, and returned to producers to use as recycled content in new packaging and paper. As the administrator of Ontario's common collection system, Circular Materials is responsible for operating the new system for blue box materials. We are committed to increasing recycling rates across Ontario and ensuring more materials are looped into the circular economy, benefiting both people and the environment. Enhanced Green Bin Also starting July 1, 2024, diapers, menstrual products, incontinence products, pet waste and pet litter will go in the Green Bin for weekly collection. Residents are still required to use 100 per cent certified compostable liner bags for disposing of all Green Bin organic waste. Residents are strongly encouraged to use compostable alternatives for items such as diapers, menstrual and incontinence products, pet waste and pet litter where alternatives exist. Although the Anaerobic Digestion (AD) system is designed to remove non-organic materials, the less plastic introduced into the system, the easier it is to manage, and the less likely that plastic material will make its way into the finished digestate. The AD facility produces biogas, which is upgraded to renewable natural gas (RNG). The RNG is used in a combined heat and power unit, producing electricity and heat for an adjacent greenhouse operation. Future plans include injecting the RNG into the Enbridge natural gas pipeline network. Diapers will be broken down in the pre-processing process of the AD system. The organic portion of baby diapers will be processed in the AD system and the plastic portion will be disposed. Baby wipes are often made from inorganic materials. Therefore please place these items in the garbage and never flush them down the toilet as they clog pipes and pumping equipment. As before, your green bin must be at the curb before 7 a.m. on your collection day. Green bins cannot weigh more than 20 kg (44 pounds) but you can put out as many green bins as needed. Additional green bins will be available at an introductory half price rate. Watch for more information closer to July 1. Ensure all green bin organic waste is bagged in 100 per cent compostable bags. Any loose organics will not be collected. Watch for an updated acceptable and unacceptable list in the near future. Big Bins The Region is piloting a project over a year to test the large rolling bins for curbside garbage collection. While Whitby collects its own garbage in black bags separate from the Region, the data will be s h a r e d with Town of Whitby Operations staff. We are looking to the future for automated waste pick up and will be watching the pilot closely. Dear Doug, Spent any time in the emergency ward at Lakeridge Oshawa? It's a bit crowded. 10 hr. waits are common. Wouldn't be so bad if we had another proper hospital. Any chance you could address that - as you promised?