About
Currently, the County hauls organic green bin material to a processing facility in Elmira, Ontario each day. With the construction of the Environmental Resource Recovery Centre (ERRC), all organic green bin materials would be processed within the County. The project has many benefits including, but not limited to, the following:
- Reduced Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions from reducing the amount of transportation outside of the County
- Reduced costs associated with hauling
- Processing costs would be predictable, and there would not be concerns with ensuring capacity at external processing facilities for County materials
- Creation of more than 100 direct and indirect local jobs in construction, the trades and waste management
- Potential revenues from the sale of biogas and/or finished products
As of January 2023, the County has diverted a total of 200,000 tonnes of organics through the curbside green bin organics program established in 2008. With increased diversion and population, capture of organics is projected to increase annually. With a County-owned Organics Processing Facility (OPF), there is consistency in processing costs, consistency in processing location and potential for revenue through biogas capture and resale of the finished product.
What is the ERRC?
It is NOT a landfill. The ERRC will provide a facility to process our organics locally and manage the transfer of garbage and recycling showcasing our commitment to diversion and reducing waste disposal.
Why build this facility?
Waste management in Ontario is changing. The ERRC will allow us to securely manage our own waste, control transfer and processing costs, and provide greater flexibility to adjust our programs to divert more organics from our garbage stream.
Organics Processing
A closed-loop, circular-economy solution where organics (green bin material and potentially materials such as leaf and yard waste and pet waste) are processed and converted into resources such as soil amendments.
- allows the County to be in control of what is accepted in the green bin program
- reduces emissions from hauling organics outside the County for processing
- flexibility to respond to population growth and more green bin tonnage
- production of valuable end products such as soil amendments
- helps us adapt to provincial legislation
Materials Management
A location where waste from multiple collection vehicles is consolidated and transferred. This allows for cost-effective shipment to other processing/disposal locations.
- allows us to better manage our own waste
- savings over contracted transfer costsprovides operational efficiencies and centralized management
Other Services
- Public Education Centre
- Administrative area
