The above images were included as examples of in-ground waste containers in a staff report presented to Saugeen Shores Council February 26. The bins are said to hold 15 times more waste than a standard above-ground barrel bin and would therefore save time and labour costs.

Hub Staff

The Town of Saugeen Shores joins the cutting edge of trash collection after a pilot project for three in-ground waste containers was approved in principle by councillors during the February 26 Committee of Whole.

The containers can hold 15 times more waste than the standard barrel bin can and $25,000 would be set aside for the pilot and added to the 2018 Municipal Budget, financed through the Development Charges Reserve Fund and the Future Capital Projects Reserve Fund.

The new bins would be located at Denny’s Dam in Southampton, the Saugeen Shores Dog Park and Port Elgin’s Main Beach.

Town of Saugeen Shores Parks Manager Frank Burrows said in a staff report that during the busy summer months Town Staff make up to 1,000 container dumps per week. In the report Burrows highlighted that the in-ground waste containers would be a time and labour saver and that due to the containers’ capacity, daily garbage removal cycles are often reduced to monthly.

Other advantages include: no visible refuse; insect, bird and animal resistant; no exposed garbage or odours. Saugeen Shores CAO David Smith said that during the summer months garbage is the number one complaint received by Town Staff and he hoped that the pilot project would alleviate those concerns.

Denny’s Dam, Port Elgin Main Beach, and the Dog Park were chosen as they each depict a different variety of usage which was needed for staff information. Vice Deputy Mayor Diane Huber, who voted against the project, was hesitant of the idea of placing the in-ground waste container at the Port Elgin Main Beach because of future proposed infrastructure and parking improvements.

Deputy Mayor Luke Charbonneau thought the pilot project was a good idea but didn't want to add something to the recently approved budget. “There’s lots of good ideas and you can’t pay for every good idea every year. You have to set a budget and stick to it and get that done, and that’s what I would have liked to see us do,” he said.