The District of Muskoka is taking steps to keep its landfills from running out of space.
“We are expanding our organics programs in a number of areas across the district,” says Muskoka Lakes Mayor Phil Harding, who chairs Muskoka’s Engineering and Public Works Committee. “And by the fall of 2022, we will be reducing our weekly bag limit.”
Those are two of the recommendations in a report from district staff last year, which indicated the Rosewarne Landfill would reach capacity by 2036.
That means curbside pickup will be limited to one free bag per week in urban centres, and two for rural areas, with the same numbers at waste drop-off facilities. For organics, collection is being expanded to all waste drop-off facilities, and added to curbside pickup, starting in urban areas.
“It’s difficult in some of the rural areas, because of bear bins, and what the organics cause from additional smells,” says Harding. “So we are using this year as an expanded program closer to some of the urban centres, and will see how that goes before it gets rolled out potentially across all of Muskoka.”
The federal government released a report on landfill methane emissions in January, asking Canadians to weigh in on a draft action plan on the subject.
Harding says he’s confident the district will provide feedback to the feds on the matter. In Muskoka’s case, he says the biggest impact can be made by keeping organics out of the landfill in the first place.
“The more organics that are going into a landfill, the more methane gas that is being created,” says Harding. “So the better chance we have of reducing emissions is diversion from our landfill, and that’s truly a focus of the District of Muskoka.”
The federal report also outlined a number of tax credits for landfill operators that mitigate methane emissions. Harding says he’s not yet sure which of the credits the district would qualify for, but district staff are always looking into ways to offset costs.