By Cecilia Nasmith
As the province moves forward with the gradual reduction of restrictions as part of stage one of the framework for reopening Ontario, Northumberland County continues to adjust its waste services following Wednesday's council meeting.
All three Community Recycling Centres have returned to regular days of operation (with modified hours of 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.) - Brighton and Bewdley open Mondays through Saturdays, and Seymour open Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays – to support residents with urgent waste-disposal needs.
Certain restrictions remain in place for the health and safety of staff and customers, including cashless payment measures, a limit to how many vehicles can be on-site at a time, and the continued closure of household hazardous waste and clothing-diversion programs.
Council also confirmed the end of the two-month partial waiver of garbage bag tags (which permitted one unpaid bag of garbage per week per household) will end May 29. Full bag-tag requirements resume June 1.
“Waiving bag-tag fees was an important step to take in support of our residents at the onset of the pandemic, despite the significant financial implications of this decision,” Warden Bob Sanderson stated in the press release.
“With restrictions beginning to gradually lift, and people periodically leaving their residence to purchase essential items at grocery stores and pharmacies where bag tags are also available, the timing is right to shift this aspect of our operations back to normal. As we move cautiously in the direction of a return to regular operations, this shift will minimize further negative impacts to the 2020 budget.”
In view of the continued physical-distancing requirements, the county will be launching an on-line service to allow residents to purchase bag tags through the county web site for home delivery. It will be launched next week on a trial basis, with the county monitoring resident interest and uptake.
