Organics program coming to urban areas of Bobcaygeon, Fenelon Falls, Lindsay and Omemee January 2025
The City of Kawartha Lakes is excited to share that it is launching a curbside organics collection program in the urban areas of Bobcaygeon, Fenelon Falls, Lindsay and Omemee starting in January 2025.
What does this mean for residents?
There are no changes coming to residents’ waste (garbage) and recycling curbside collection day; their waste will continue to be picked up on the same day each week. The main difference is that they will no longer be allowed to throw food and/or organic waste into regular waste (garbage).
Residents will be provided with a small bin for their kitchen to collect their organic waste along with a larger, 45 litre organic waste bin for curbside collection. The regularly scheduled collection day for the organics program is Fridays.
If residents’ regular waste and recycling collection day is Tuesday, they continue to put their waste and recycling curbside by 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday and then later in the week, they put their organics bin curbside by 7:00 a.m. on Friday for collection. Please note: The first pick up is Saturday January 4, 2025 because the New Years Day holiday on January 1, 2025 causes the collection days to shift forward that week.
Bin delivery almost done
Bin delivery to the households included in the program is almost done. Bins have been delivered in Lindsay and Fenelon Falls. The municipality will be finishing up bin delivery in Bobcaygeon and Omemee this week.
If residents received a letter stating that they are included in the program, and haven’t received their bins by Friday Dec. 13, 2024, please contact the municipality’s waste management division or call its customer service division at 705-324-9411.
In order to receive your bins before the first collection day, you must contact us by Tuesday Dec. 17, 2024.
Program Rollout Timeline
- Week of Dec. 22, 2024 – This is the last week residents will be able to dispose of their food and organic waste with their regular waste (garbage).
- Week of Dec. 29, 2024 – Begin separating food waste from regular waste by using a kitchen catcher and curbside bins. For cleanliness, the municipality recommends using compostable bags in a kitchen catcher.
- Saturday Jan. 4, 2025 – Have organics bin to the curb by 7:00 a.m. for collection.
- Friday Jan. 10, 2025 – Organics program returns to regular Friday collection.
The municipality thanks residents for their participation in its new organics program. The City’s goal is to reach a 50% diversion effort within the year. With residents’ help and participation, the municipality is confident that it will be able to divert a significant amount of organic waste from local landfills in 2025.
Not in the program? No problem!
The municipality encourages residents to backyard compost as a way to manage food waste at home if they would prefer. Composters and digesters can be purchased at municipal service centres. For more information visit kawarthalakes.ca/compost.
If residents did not receive a letter, than their address is not included in the program at this time. They are asked to please continue to dispose of their waste and recycling as they regularly would.
What is an Organics Program?
The municipality’s organics program is a new way for residents to dispose of their food and organic waste. 30% or more of the average household waste is considered organic waste.
Every year households in Kawartha Lakes fill up 28,000 cubic metres (more than 11 Olympic-sized swimming pools) worth of landfill space with an estimated 4,500 tonnes of organic waste. A successful organics diversion program will help the municipality extend the life of local landfills, meet provincial policy targets, and get closer to reaching our goal of diverting 70% of waste from local landfills by 2048.
