Oxford Reviews Garbage Management Issues

It was an evening of double duty for Oxford Town Council, as the impending holiday break required the town’s representatives to hold both a Committee-of-the-Whole (COW) meeting, and the regular monthly meeting.

The COW began with a presentation by Stephen Rayworth, the General Manager for GFL Environmental —the company that purchased the assets of the former Cumberland Joint Services Management Authority from Cumberland’s three municipal governments and holds a 25-year service agreement to operate area landfills and waste disposal in general.

One of the key issues with current waste management is the ‘contamination’ of recyclable materials with garbage and other items that affect its handling further along in the chain of processing. Rayworth says some 65% of material ends up being contaminated in some way. 

Councillor Chrystal MacNutt says she believes the public is making the effort to properly sort their garbage, recyclables and cardboard... and that mistakes happen. 

She also noted that Pugwash has been dealing with challenges as cottage owners from other municipalities sort their waste as if they were back home, while the rules in Cumberland are different. The use of transparent, blue, and black bags is also confusing for some residents.

The CAO, Linda Cloney, says the effort to educate the public on waste management and recycling is an ongoing process. In Cumberland, Amherst, and Oxford that effort is led by Local waste educator Brenda Rioux.

Add your comments below.