Heather Wright
The Independent

After years of discussion and thousands of dollars in consultant fees, Petrolia council has finally approved moving the town’s yard waste services to Maude Street again.
In 2017, the compost site there was shutdown by town staff after the Ministry of the Environment had a surprise inspection. It passed down seven areas of concern – mostly bookkeeping problems – and staff felt it couldn’t operate the depot anymore.
So, in a matter of weeks, it made a deal with Waste Management to host a transfer site on Progress Drive for about $28,500 a year.
Residents complained and reopening the compost site became an election issue.
When the new council took office, Councillor Ross O’Hara repeatedly asked when the town would return to composting.
But a recent report outlined there would be significant start up costs for a station on Maude St. – about $54,000 according to staff. And the site wouldn’t have composting – it would simply be another transfer station.
Several residents asked council to consider encouraging home composting instead since it would be better for the environment and save money. But Monday, council turned down the idea and decided to move the transfer site to Maude St. again and staff it with employees.
Councillor Joel Field spoke against the idea, calling it “the same parking lot but on the end of Maude St.”
Councillors asked staff to keep the start up costs as low as possible.