March 30, 2020

CLEARLY NEW WASTE MESSAGE NOT GETTING OUT

MUSKOKA — The message clearly isn’t getting out in a bid to protect workers from the spread of the corona virus.

A call last week by the District of Muskoka telling home and business owners to bag all their waste is being met with mixed results.

Street curbs and roadsides are littered with dangerous garbage and waste strewn about and putting collection handlers at risk.

In fact, many don’t even know about the new rules for handling waste in Muskoka.

Or maybe they don’t care; hopefully not.

Effective immediately, the district says all garbage, recycling, and green bin organic material must be bagged, sealed and placed securely inside bins.

Do not put loose materials out for collection, they said in a media release last week.

See it here.

Do not put out loose compost or cardboard box products — unless they are in clear sealed bags.

It is meant to prevent the spread of germs after handling garbage, they said.

With more snowbirds returning and many with second homes in Muskoka migrating north now as the pandemic sends them fleeing for cottages, many don’t yet realize the change in pickups.

However, the district has not yet moved to a return to weekly pickup, which would help property owners.