Township residents to have longer recycling collection delays

Waterloo Region – Challenges with increased holiday waste amounts and extreme cold weather caused some delays with waste collection in the townships. Waste collection across Waterloo Region is delayed one day this week due to the Monday New Year’s holiday. Collection in Cambridge, Kitchener and Waterloo continues according to this schedule. Residents in North Dumfries, Wellesley, Wilmot and Woolwich will likely experience an additional day’s delay for full collection.

In the townships, residents are asked to continue to place green bins and recycling out according to the holiday-adjusted schedule (one day later than usual). However, it may take up to two days for all different types of waste to be collected in the townships. Extra sub-contractors have been brought in to assist with collection, and township residents may see strange trucks, and have different waste materials (including their Containers Only or Paper and Plastic Bags blue boxes) collected at different times, possibly even on different days. All recycling and green bin material will be diverted, regardless of how it is collected.

The increased amounts of waste material at the curb following the holidays have been challenging, but the real concerns have been labour shortages and the extreme cold weather. Crews can only work outside for a short amount of time before they need to take a warming break. This requirement for extra breaks naturally extends the working day, often far into the evening. While collectors in the tri-cities have been able to compensate by working longer days, the greater travel distances required in the townships means collection can’t be completed in one day, even with longer hours.

Region of Waterloo Waste Management staff would like to thank all our residents for the support you have shown our collection crews over the past few weeks, and for your patience. We appreciate your understanding, and will continue working with the Township contractor to return to the expected level of service as soon as possible.

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Media contact:

Cari Rastas Howard, Project Manager, Waste Management Programs     
519-575-4400 ext. 8412 or CHoward@regionofwaterloo.ca