From bins to bags: Pontiac towns roll out greener policies
Tashi Farmilo & Mélissa Gélinas
Local Journalism Initiative
Published online September 10, 2025, at www.pontiacjournal.com.
MRC PONTIAC – Several municipalities in the Pontiac are rolling out new policies to better manage waste, recycling, and composting as the region moves toward a coordinated, greener future.
Alleyn-et-Cawood
In an effort to reduce organic matter in household garbage, Alleyn-et-Cawood introduced curbside compost collection using rolling bins. “We started with garbage and recycling, and then decided to offer compost collection at home,” explained Isabelle Cardinal, the municipality’s director general. A grant covering 50% of the costs of rolling bins and kitchen containers was approved, and the first official collection took place on June 11.
According to a study by Recyc-Québec, about 40% of the contents of the average trash bag is organic materials. Alleyn-et-Cawood hopes to reach 20 tonnes of compost collected by year’s end, having already collected four. “Residents are responding positively. One even told me that since starting composting, they hardly have any garbage,” said Cardinal.
Shawville
In October, Shawville will distribute new recycling and compost bins. Recycling will be collected using trucks with mechanical arms, requiring residents to deposit all recyclables in the bin. Mayor Bill McCleary said compost collection will begin in January 2026, with organic waste transported to the Olys site in Litchfield. “Compost will be picked up weekly. One week will be compost and household waste, the next compost and recycling,” he explained. With organics removed from the garbage stream, household waste collection
will shift to every two weeks.
Litchfield
Litchfield adopted a transparent garbage bag policy on June 2, which also covers composting and recycling. Since July, residents have received trial transparent bags and
a composting bin. The regulation takes full effect on October 1. Director general Julie Bertrand said the goal is to implement a zero-waste strategy: “This decision reflects
our shared responsibility for protecting the environment and reducing landfill.”
Otter Lake
Otter Lake introduced the same transparent bag policy on September 1. Mayor Jennifer Quaile explained it is intended to reduce both waste and disposal costs. “We pay by the ton for landfill, and our costs have risen significantly in recent years,” she said. Many residents, she added, welcome the chance to drop food waste at the transfer station, knowing it helps reduce municipal expenses and keep taxes low.
A regional vision
The MRC Pontiac is in the planning stages of a region-wide composting program involving all 18 municipalities. Warden Jane Toller said the aim is to create a system tailored to the region’s diverse communities. Roughly half of municipalities would have door-to-door collection, while the others would use backyard composting or bring material to centralized drop-off sites.
Two municipalities, Alleyn-et-Cawood and Otter Lake, have already started implementing parts of the initiative. Olys, formerly known as Uteau, located in Litchfield, is considered a strong potential partner for processing compost thanks to its local facility, equipment, and expertise. “This is about more than just reducing landfill,” said Toller. “It’s about building a circular economy in the Pontiac, and having local partners like Olys could be key to making that vision a reality.”
