Clear garbage bags not law in Huron-Kinloss
By Angela Ziegler

Workers at Huron-Kinloss landfills and those who collect garbage each week won’t be sticking their faces up to clear garbage bags or inspecting every piece of trash to ensure “prohibited items” are not hidden away inside any time soon in the township.

Although the Mid-Huron Landfill site board passed a “clear waste disposal bag policy” effective March 1, 2009, Hugh Nichol, Public Works superintendent and Huron-Kinloss council believes it is not necessary to force all Huron-Kinloss residents to use the clear bags.

Nichol said he is not recommending the township pass a similar policy.

“Zero tolerance of prohibited items is an environmentalist’s dream, I am realistic enough to know we can not police,” said Nichol. “Although staff does their best, they can not inspect every box, bag or barrel that enters the landfill. As for curb side collection, if BASWR refuses to “pick-up,” and the homeowner refuses to “listen-up,” then inevitably, it will be Public Work’s responsibility to “gather-up” the said garbage, including the prohibited items where it will be disposed of in our landfill.”

“I believe the majority of our residents are conscientious about recycling and the implementation of a clear bag policy will not be the defining factor of conversion for those who are not,” he said.

The Mid-Huron dump (near Homesville) is used mostly by Huron-Kinloss residents in the Village of Lucknow and those in ACW, as the landfill primarily services residents of Huron County. Nichol says Lucknow used the landfill long before amalgamation and continues to do so.

Lucknow residents may soon be able to bring their garbage at the Huron Landfill on Concession 6 of Huron-Kinloss Township in the future however.

This may not happen until the Mid-Huron Landfill Site Board’s “clear bag” policy comes into effect.

The engineering firm of Pryde Schropp McComb Inc. (PSMI) has been instructed to submit an application to the Ministry of Environment on the Township’s behalf for a service area change to allow those in Lucknow to dump their garbage at the Huron Landfill.

The Certificate of Approval change is subject to the Environmental Protection Act. This could take more than a year to receive.

The MOE has agreed however to the township’s request to change the landfill operations from trench method to above ground land filling in order to regain lost capacity due to the high water table conditions on site. PSMI has also submitted a design and operation plan for the Huron Landfill to the MOE. The township however will have to submit an updated design and operations plan within a year of issuance of the amendment to reflect landfill capacity and address the remaining design and operation issues.

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