Qs FROM CONSTITUENTS: HOW WILL YOU HANDLE GARBAGE BINS FOR BUSINESSES?
This blog series explores some of the questions I have been asked by Grey Highlands' constituents. This post reviews how the new bin system will be implemented for businesses.I've been hearing different things about the logistics of the new garbage pick up system coming to Grey Highlands in January. As a business owner in Flesherton I'm very concerned. I understand we will be using bins for garbage and recycling. I understand the reason for the switch and am not against the idea. I am concerned about how that can be implemented in town.I have no place in the store to keep the bins and I will not have them permanently situated in front of my store. To compound the problem, there are two apartments above my store. They can't be expected to lug two heavy bins up and down the stairs every week and I also don't want them permanently in front of my store. If this goes through as planned that would mean two bins outside the Bakery, six bins in front of my store and two bins in front of the Bicycle cafe. These are all food establishments and the perception of walking through this garbage to get to our establishments is unacceptable. There are three other businesses on the block, adding six more bins.
How do you plan on dealing with this? It is unreasonable to expect the businesses to tolerate a situation like that. Again, this is not an opposition to transitioning to bins but this is a foreseeable problem that needs to be addressed.
Thanks for the question. This is a hot topic and I understand the concern; this is a big change.
It is the hope of everyone--Council, Staff, Waste Management, and the business community--involved that anyone who had garbage and recycle picked up this week will also have garbage and recycle picked up the week of Jan 1, 2023.
There are details that need to be figured out, and certainly, the lack of space for some businesses (as well as residents) is a concern, but I don’t think it is an insurmountable problem. Grey Highlands’ Staff and Waste Management (the new curbside waste collector) will be visiting all the sites that are not as straight-forward as the normal day-to-day pick up to find a solution that works for both Waste Management and the resident/business. This will include private roads and businesses.
I do not want to guess at what the solution will be, but I have seen many examples implemented in other communities, for example, maybe garbage pick up changes to the back of a building, and (in work and live spaces) the apartments above a store share a garbage bin (or two) and a recycle (or two). Again, this solution will be determined by GH Staff working with Waste Management. Or perhaps a larger bin is shared across multiple businesses.
It is my understanding that Staff and WM will be visiting these sites soon, and; hopefully, this will ease some of the concerns.
You might want to check out these posts where I have addressed other waste related issues:
See my post, Running for Mayor: Smart Growth for more details.
See all the questions I have been asked throughout the 2022 Campaign!
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