Some local charities are disappointed Windsor councillors chose not to move forward with a pilot big bin project.
The project aimed to put a drop off for large items out in the community in hopes of discouraging illegal dumping. Local charities hoped to partner with the city to divert usable items from the landfill.
“The amount of dumping is a little out of control sometimes, and we were hoping that this might be a way to stop that kind of dumping, at least reduce it a little bit,” says Rosanne Winger, general manager with St. Vincent de Paul
It costs St. Vincent de Paul around $16,000 a year to get rid of large items left behind their stores and at their bins.
“That’s 1,600 more beds that we could be giving away to people for free in the community; it’s 3,200 more families we could feed. So $16,000 could go a long way to help the community,” says Winger.
City administration estimated holding a one-day big bin event that offered large item drop-off for free would cost OVER $15,000. The report also warned there could be additional dumping after the event which could lead to more costs.
“It adds to the problem as opposed to eliminating or mitigating the problem,” says Councillor Fred Francis. “I think it’s fair that people that have things to drop off can do so at the public drop off and pay their fair share.”
Winger says she plans to work with other local organizations like Goodwill Industries, Habitat for Humanity, and the Furniture Bank to develop a solution.
“If they don’t want to do the big bin project maybe there’s something else that we can come up with that would work better that we could partner with and certainly help each other out,” says Winger.
