Just as residents in Amherstburg, Kingsville, and Leamington will get green bins next month, the Essex Windsor Solid Waste Authority hopes to expand the program to public schools in the county.
Some public schools in Windsor made the switch on their own last fall, when the city moved to bi-weekly garbage collection, but General Manager Michelle Bishop would like to see a green bin kitchen-catcher in all schools in the region.
"We need to start a little bit slower. There's some nuances with being in the schools, but it is very important to us," she said.
They're starting with public schools and hope to introduce the program in the Catholic, French Public, and French Catholic school boards soon.
"Once we get this pilot under our belt," added Bishop. "We want to make sure we get it right."
Bishop explained how it works now in those Windsor public schools that have already adopted organic waste diversion practices.
"Each of the classrooms has a kitchen catcher, and then the kitchen catchers are deposited into the main green bin, and then the collector, Miller Waste Systems, does a weekly collection," said Bishop.
Green bins were distributed last fall to homes in Windsor, LaSalle, Tecumseh, Lakeshore, and Essex. Since then, more than 9,000 tonnes of organic waste have been diverted from the landfill through the program.
*With files from Maureen Revait.
