A program in Windsor-Essex that allows residents to return old, damaged, and incompatible blue and red boxes has diverted more than 28 tonnes from the local landfill.
The Essex Windsor Solid Waste Authority launched its Take Back program earlier this year when the region moved to collection by Circular Materials.
"We are incredibly grateful to the residents of Essex-Windsor who brought their unwanted or incompatible boxes and carts to EWSWA depots," said Cathy Copot-Nepszy, the authority's manager of waste diversion. "The community response has been outstanding, and together we kept a significant number of valuable resources out of our local landfill."
Ontario moved to the Extended Producer Responsibility program in January. Circular Materials was contracted to collect recyclables, but used a different cart specific to their trucks. As part of the transition, old blue boxes, red boxes, and recycling carts fell outside the scope of the new program.
Residents who still have unwanted, damaged, or incompatible blue boxes and carts can still drop them off at any EWSWA Depot for free.
