Heather Wright/The Independent

A new recycling system expected to increase the amount of garbage Petrolia diverts from landfills has hit a bump.

In April 2023, Petrolia council approved WM Canada’s plan to bring wheelie bins to town.

 Waste Management won a contract to provide recycling paid by the producers who create packaging instead of the municipalities. Part of that was a plan to bring wheelie bins to Petrolia, replacing a blue box program which has diverted about 26 per cent of garbage to recycling. 

Homes in Petrolia were to receive two 64 gallon carts with recycling to be put in a bin with a yellow lid and household garbage going into the bin with the green lid.

The bins were to be dropped off at homes in the late fall of 2023, but that didn’t happen.

Mike Thompson, Petrolia’s director of operations, has scheduled a meeting with WM to figure out why the company has yet to provide the new service.

“We’re supposed to roll out – no pun intended – early this year, but we’re still waiting for Waste Management to get us details in reference to the bins and some other particulars,” says Thompson.

He believes part of the issue may be the purchase and delivery of a new automated truck designed to lift the bins without the help of an employee. 

WM officials were not immediately available to comment on the delay.

The new bins are expected to boost the town’s recycling rate which is well below the provincial target of 60 per cent.

The program will cost $115,000 saving Petrolia $34,000 a year in recycling fees.