The Town of Carman is replacing its solid waste program with an automated three cart garbage, recycling and compost collection system this spring.Mayor Brent Owen says Council has signed an agreement with MWM Environmental effective April 1, 2021.

"Our Special Services by-law expired in December 2020 and this is something that other councils and our council have looked at. We thought this was the right time, put a request for proposals out and we were pleased with the answers we got back so we thought we'd go ahead with it at this time," explained Owen.

Under the new waste collection program, each home will receive three carts - one for garbage, a second for recycling and a third for compost. Owen says residents can expect their carts to be delivered around mid-March. They will replace the current garbage bag tag and other pick-up systems. Any bag tags purchased in 2020 can be returned for a refund to the town office with the receipt until April 30, 2021.

Additional changes outlined by the Town include a biweekly, alternating residential garbage and recycling pick-up schedule (one week garbage, the next week recycling). Compost will be collected weekly on an 8-month schedule (April to November) with the possibility of a monthly collection of compost the other four months if there is enough demand.

Owen says MWM is working with commercial and institutional properties to hammer out individual agreements on a case-by-case basis.

Meantime, ratepayers will not see this levy as a line item on their 2021 tax bill, according to the Town. Instead, the cost to run the new program this year will be included in the general tax mill rate (or charged at large). Council will review how to pay for the program in 2022 and beyond during deliberations for those future budgets.

"It is a cheaper program for us to run, that's part of the reason we're doing it," noted Owen.

The Carman Transfer Station will continue to operate and be run by the Town. As well, the Town will continue to operate a recycling depot in town and at the transfer station.

Town staff that currently takes care of the solid waste pick-ups will be shifted to the organization to complete other tasks for the community.