By Sylene Argent, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Essex Free Press
Phase 1 of the Essex Windsor Solid Waste Authority (EWSWA) Green Bin program is set to roll out, and its staff and Board of Directors hosted an event at the Essex Civic and Education Centre last Wednesday to provide all the details.
Starting July 21, the kit – including the 120L Canadian manufactured green bin, 7L kitchen catcher for food scraps, sample compost bag, and information guide – will be delivered to 119,000 single-family homes. This will take place into October.
EWSWA will provide a weekly, curbside collection program, the Green Bin Program, starting the week of October 21, to help residents keep food waste and other organics out of the Essex-Windsor Regional Landfill, which is located in the Town of Essex. By putting food waste in the Green Bin, residents can reduce their garbage by up to 50%, EWSWA notes.
This program in 2025 will start in Essex, Lakeshore, LaSalle, Tecumseh and Windsor as part of Phase 1.
The Green Bin program will start in Amherstburg, Kingsville, and Leamington in the fall of 2026 to better align with their garbage contracts.
The green bins will also come with a “Welcome” sticker that residents should read, information from EWSWA notes. Key messaging tells the resident to write their address on the space provided as this green bin is scanned and linked to their address for the EWSWA Green Bin Repair & Request program that will track issues related to green bin repairs, warranty, and requesting a green bin for new builds, etc.
“This is really a long time coming,” Vice Chairperson of the EWSWA Board of Directors, Windsor Councillor Gary Kaschak, said. “This is something we should have had a long time ago, but it is here.”
Members of the EWSWA Board and the municipalities in the Windsor-Essex region played a key role in the program, Kaschak said.
Everyone’s patience as the roll out takes place, Kaschak added, is appreciated.
Residents of each municipality in the region can view when to expect their green bin by visiting https://www.ewswa.org/composting-food-waste/green-bin/, residents can also download the Recycle Coach App and request notifications for the Green Bin Program.
Many have waited for this program to launch, Tecumseh Mayor Gary McNamara said, who is currently serving as EWSWA’s Board Chairperson.
“This new program is important because it will support both our residents, [and] the automated collection throughout the life of the Green Bin Program,” McNamara added.
EWSWA, he commented, has put a lot of work into the program to be prepared for the launch of the October collection of Phase 1.
As of July 21, a customer support service will also be available.
“These are exciting times as we prepare this region to do what is right, and to keep valuable resources – like food waste – out of our local landfill, and instead create renewable energy and fertilizer for the next crops,” McNamara said.
The EWSWA green bin is the only bin that will be serviced during collection this fall.
Windsor-Essex Green Bin background info:
· Due to population, Essex, Kingsville, and Lakeshore were not required to participate in the organics program initially. In March of 2022, however, the previous Term of County Council voted all County municipalities would participate.
· In June of 2024, Council for the County of Essex selected a hybrid model for billing, and the decision was made to expand the program beyond urban areas to include rural as well. Council also moved to provide a resolution to EWSWA regarding the collection and processing of organic waste for households in rural settlement areas in all county municipalities.
· In April of 2024, EWSWA awarded the contract for the curbside collection of source- separated organics in urban settlement areas for a seven-year period to Miller Waste Systems Inc.
· In December of 2024, County Council approved the 2025 Essex-Windsor Solid Waste Authority Green Bin Program budget, representing a total cost of $3,743,400, of which $1,379,850 will be allocated to the County of Essex and $2,363,550 to the City of Windsor.
· Municipalities not starting the program until 2026 will not be billed until they enter the program.
· The Green Bin levy will appear as an Essex County levy on the municipal tax bills of residents who receive the service.
· The assessment is broken down into three parts: the cost to process each tonne of material through the contract with Seacliff Energy in Leamington; the five-year repayment term for the cost for the purchase and delivery of the Green Bin Program 120L wheeled cart with locking mechanism and kitchen catcher at a cost of around $76 each; and the cost paid to the contractor to collect the material, provide contract supervision, customer service, and the capital and operating cost to consolidate and transfer the material.
· Organics will not be picked-up at multi-residential buildings with seven or more units. It will be looked at to be expanded at some point, including the potential at schools and businesses.
· It will be up to each municipality to manage its current garbage collection schedule, and determine if they want to go to bi-weekly in the future.
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