Peter L.Smith
L’Isle-aux-Allumettes: A public meeting held Wednesday January 14 at Harrington Community Centre to explain the new curb side recycling program filled the Hall filled to capacity with close to 200 persons. The new curbside recycling program implemented by the province with MRC Pontiac is a two-year contract with EEQ, Eco Entreprises Quebec. Pontiac Ouest has signed a one-year contract for curbside pick-up, garbage and compost with the pick-up contractor.
Mayor Donald Gagnon (Chichester, Doris Ranger (Sheenboro) and Corey Spence (L’Isle-aux-Allumettes) along with municipal administration staff and Nina Digroacchimo – Environmental Coordinator for MRC Pontiac were present. The goal is to recycle and compost as much as possible which will dramatically reduce the amount of garbage produced and save taxpayers money.
Rebates from the recycling program go the MRC Pontiac who manage the contract. Right now the municipality pays $300/ton to have the garbage trucked to Lachute, Quebec.
Nina Digioacchino and Mayor Spence with the aid of a short video and handouts detailed the waste program and noted which materials would go in each bin and the collection schedule. Stat holidays will affect the schedule. Also noted was the arrival of the other two bins, one for garbage and one for compost, every Monday and every Tuesday, alternating weeks. February the compost will be picked up on Monday February 23, the first scheduled pick up. MRC Pontiac is the last MRC to implement door to door recycling pick up. Three trucks will be serving L’Isle-aux-Allumettes while one will serve Chichester/Sheenboro. Bins must be at the curb by 7 am and on the correct side. Some roads will have pick up on both sides while others on just one side.
A program known as EPR-Extended Producer Responsibility brought forth by the Quebec government is an environmental one which makes producers, manufacturers, distributors and brand owners responsible for ensuring their products such as plastics do not go into the garbage system. Financial incentives encourage the companies to manufacture environmentally friendly products. By implementing door to door collection for the recycling, garbage and composting, the municipality was able to have the cost for the recycling program paid for by the EEQ to the MRCs; the municipalities will receive composting incentive based on their performance.
The 26 bags which had been issued annually by L’Isle-aux-Allumettes for taxpayers to use for garbage will not be done with the new program. Ratepayers can continue using any remaining bags and for the present continue to use the transfer sites in their respective municipalities and take recycling and garbage to the sites. Once the curbside program is fully implemented, a fee – not yet determined by the municipalities – will likely be charged to dispose of garbage at the transfer sites.
Many questions and concerns were raised at the meeting including difficulty for seniors to get their bins to the curb when their driveways are lengthy and steep, the size of the bins, concerns about no pickup on private roads, animals damaging the bins, entering them and dragging material out, snowplough concerns, and others.
One ratepayer mentioned the pollution/carbon monoxide generated from these big trucks which pollutes the environment. Another ratepayer questioned why a public consultation was not done prior to the implementation of the new program.
Some suggestions offered included group pick up areas at the main road where many residents live on a private road, a special attachment for vehicles to allow for transporting the bin to the curb, the buddy system where neighbours help each other and possibly share a bin.
Ratepayers are asked to contact their Municipal Office or MRC Pontiac with any concerns or positive suggestions.
Photo: Peter Smith
