Innisfail residents could soon be putting more than just their trash out to the curb with town council’s proposal of a curbside recycling program.
The program would allow residents to put their recycling out to the curb instead of having to recycle at the transfer station.
The town would be providing residents with blue recycling boxes to put their recycling out to the curb in under the proposal.
Along with the recycling program a three garbage bag limit will be imposed to encourage residents to throw recyclables into the blue boxes instead of the trash.
A $2 per month fee recycling fee would be added to residents’ garbage rates to provide citizens with the recycling service.
The proposed program is aiming to streamline the garbage and recycling process in Innisfail, said Helen Dietz, Innisfail CAO.
The garbage bag limit would help to limit the flow of garbage into the landfill, and the town will not have to be paying to transport things that could be recycled to the dump, according to town officials.
The program is also aiming to address concerns from a number of citizens regarding recycling in Innisfail.
“There appears to have been citizen requests for curbside recycling,” said Dietz.
“And we have also heard a few concerns and complaints about how the transfer station is being run.”
The transfer station hours will be cut back to Wednesdays and Saturdays after once the program starts.
First however council will need to pass a bylaw to begin the program, which will most likely, involve a public consultation component. The issue is expected to be brought up for discussion in council in March.
A curbside recycling program was talked about in budget discussions in previous years but as the municipality’s contract with its waste management company needs renewing, town council said now would be a better time to start, said Dietz.
Whether or not the changes get passed, the town will still be offering curb side yard waste pick up as it has in past years.
