October 24, 2019: Tom Patterson, “Update on First Nations local effort”, Jim Scott will introduce, and Walt Bathe will thank our speaker.
Head Table: Our President Brent Shackleton, invites Jim Scott, Guy Bellehumeur, Norm Bird, Roger Black, Carolyn Blackburn, Lisa Breault and Harry Brightwell, to join him at the head table.
Today at Rotary: we welcomed Kate Simpson to the podium to tell is what is happening with Stratford household solid waste disposal and recycling. Kate has been employed by the City of Stratford since 2002 and is in charge of the solid waste and recycling programs.
The first thing that Kate told us is the long list of categories of waste there are: garbage, yard waste, cloth, metal, electronic waste, batteries, asphalt and more. She also provided an insight into the proposed new organic waste recycling that is to begin in January and she explained the changes to what is allowed in the blue box and what must be excluded and why.
First, about the blue box program changes. Kate explained that countries like China and India who were "buying" our "recyclable" waste realized they were receiving product that could not be recycled and so stopped accepting it. Perhaps we were at fault in sending garbage instead of recyclable product. But that system is virtually ended and little Stratford is working on finding a new recycling partner. Our old partner will take us on at a higher cost and a higher cost of disposal of product that cannot be recycled. No other companies want our product. Therefore it is in everyone's interest to reduce (stop buying stuff that cannot be recycled or put stuff that cannot be recycled in the garbage). New lists of acceptable items and items not acceptable for the blue box will be posted on the Stratford city website in the near future. (www.stratfordcanada.ca). Examples are individual serving yogurt cups, pull top metal tins, coffee cups and cartons for liquids. Aerosol and paint cans are not accepted in the blue box but can go into the metal recycle bin at the land fill.
The new organic waste recycling program will also have a list of acceptable and unacceptable items. The list will be good, however because it will include some items like cardboard and paper that would otherwise end up in the garbage. To roll this program out homes will be supplied with a green container. To start the city will ship organic waste to a composting facility.
Kate is very enthusiastic about her role in managing these programs. She has experience in composting and that will apply to the organic waste program after Stratford sets up a composting facility.
Kate was introduced by Gord Sherwin and thanked by Ollie Henry.
Scribe: Norm Bird
Scotch Mist raffle tickets will be available soon. Limited to 600 tickets at $10 each. Prizes include some sought after Scotches and also tickets to next year’s event.
Christmas Craft Show will be here before we know it. Be ready to volunteer when the list comes out!
Guests: We welcomed Rotarian Myrna Inglis from Walkerton and District Governor Assistant Dianne Yundt from Stratford Festival City Club.
Draw: The prize today was donated by Patricia Riehl and won by Dave Hunt.
Make-ups: Fritz Steigmeier, October 15 and Dave Hunt, October 8 at the FCRC.
Please, if you do a make-up, please send me an email at naroutzidis@naeng.com.
October’s Attendance Committee: George Schroeder (I/C), Doug Thompson, Angus MacDermid, Gary Wreford, Lynn McKone, Rob Ritz, Mike Nielsen, Bert Clifford, Peter Roach.
