Essex wants residents’ input on move to bi-weekly garbage pickup

Essex is looking for input from residents as it considers moving to bi-weekly garbage pickup.

The Town of Essex will seek residents’ input on a potential switch to bi-weekly garbage pickup.

Town council approved a motion on Monday evening to have staff hold consultations in the fall; However, the change, if approved, would only begin in 2028.

Consultations will be spearheaded by an external agency, and are expected to include social media, telephone and mail-in components, staff said.

After receiving pushback on the communication of the green bin rollout in the county, Rob Shepley, the deputy mayor of Essex, said this process needs a “structured consultation.”

“We’ve seen with the green bean rollout that when residents feel they haven’t been fully engaged, it can create frustration,” Shepley said.

A report on the cost of the consultation and the planned methods is expected at a future council meeting.

Consultation will help evaluate how much waste residents are generating since the start of the green bin program, and whether they want to see less frequent garbage pickup.

Staff estimate a move to bi-weekly service will save about $370,000 annually.

As a 27.6 per cent reduction in the town’s garbage levy, it’s estimated households would see a yearly savings of about $50.

“One of the things that I hear loud and clear from residents in Essex is that they love our level of service when it comes to garbage. You know, they can put out large items, they can put out a lot of garbage, and it comes every week,” said Sherry Bondy, the town’s mayor.

Bondy noted residents will have to weigh the reduction in service and the potential cost savings.

In recent years, staff noted, waste collection contract costs have increased, and greater focus has been put on reducing landfill use to delay funding a replacement.

“So maybe if we give more time, more people will get on board with the green bin, and there’s a lot of things that go into the garbage now that can be recycled that I haven’t even caught on yet,” Bondy said.

Currently, Essex residents receive weekly garbage pickup and biweekly yard waste pickup depending on the season.

Changes to waste pickup would not affect green bin collection, which is overseen by the Essex-Windsor Solid Waste Authority.

According to a staff report, most county municipalities have not begun service level changes, but discussions are underway.

Since beginning the green bin program, the City of Windsor has moved to bi-weekly garbage pickup.