A company has been chosen to oversee the curbside collection of source separated organics for the Green Bin Program in seven Essex County municipalities starting in 2025.
At the Essex Windsor Solid Waste Authority board meeting on Wednesday, members voted in favour of the recommendation of the preferred proponent Miller Waste Systems Inc.
It's a seven year agreement, with the right to extend the contract for two additional one-year extensions.
A Request for Proposals went out in February, and any interested parties had to submit their bids by March 21.
Two bid packages were received in total by that date, and those two submissions were opened and reviewed through a sound procurement process before Miller Waste Systems was chosen.
Tecumseh mayor Gary McNamara, who is also the EWSWA board vice chair, says between now and 2025 they'll work to make sure every household receives their green bin.
Additionally, there will be a fairly intense education program to let residents know the dos and don'ts of the program.
"And also it's an opportunity, chance and time for Miller to make sure that they've got the two-stream vehicles ready to go," he continued. "That's going to take a bit of time, but again, I think the big piece is making sure the infrastructure is in place."
McNamara says this has been going on for quite a while, and it's all a part of the provincial mandate of diversion away from the landfill.
"We know it's a huge component to climate change because the organic material is what really generates a lot of the gasses. This is an opportunity for us to recover a lot of those organics and also convert them into a recycled product which would be the compost piece."
Some other benefits include the ability to generate power, and the potential for the local green house industry.
There are no direct or immediate financial implications associated with the decision, and any financial implications arising from the implementation of the program will be communicated to the EWSWA board throughout its rollout.
McNamara says there's obviously going to be a cost to it, but believes it's important to remember the cost savings related to protecting the local environment and landfill.
"Protecting that asset and extending its use into the future. Re-siting another landfill it is number one politically very difficult, and number two, extremely expensive. And so you've got to look at the big picture and the benefit of doing this program," he stated.
Resolutions have been passed at various councils on the topic over the last few years, and McNamara says the proponent will present details around their plans for the program at an upcoming meeting of Essex County Council.