A new waste initiative in Muskoka is already showing positive results just one month after its launch.
The District of Muskoka says the recently introduced Clear Bag Program, which requires residents to use transparent garbage bags for curbside waste, is having a real impact. With more than 75 per cent of households now participating, the program is helping to reduce the amount of garbage being sent to landfill while encouraging better use of green bins.
According to the District, the amount of garbage picked up at the curb has dropped by 39 per cent since the program began. Officials say this doesn’t mean residents are leaving garbage behind, but instead, they’re sorting more of their food waste and other compostable items into green bins, which are collected separately.
In fact, the weight of green bin material collected at the curb has gone up by 51 per cent compared to before the program started.
District Chair Jeff Lehman says this shift is exactly what the program was meant to accomplish.
“We’re incredibly proud of the immediate positive changes we’ve seen,” Lehman said. “This isn’t about people generating less garbage overnight. It’s about waste being sorted properly. Food waste and organics are being moved into the right place—into the green bin—thanks to the clear bag system.”
The change is also expected to help extend the life of the Rosewarne Landfill, one of the District’s key waste sites. Keeping compostable waste out of the garbage stream means less material ends up in the landfill, which helps delay costly expansions or the need for new sites.
District staff report they’ve received nearly 1,000 new green bin requests since the start of the year, which they say is a clear sign that interest in the organics program is growing.
Renee Recoskie, the District’s director of waste management and environmental services, says the program gave many people the push they needed to start separating their waste more effectively.
“People are telling us that they wouldn’t have started using a green bin if it weren’t for the clear bag initiative,” she said. “It’s proving to be an effective way to change habits and get more households participating in waste diversion.”
The program is part of the District’s broader strategy to improve waste management, reduce environmental impact, and keep long-term costs down.
