County will continue to recycle plastic bale wrap
by Richard Blanchard

Simcoe county councillors have rejected a proposal from its environmental department to drop a recycling program for plastic bale wrap.

County councillors voted to continue the program at its Corporate Services committee last week. Final approval to continue the program will have to be given at the next meeting of county council.

Rob McCullough of the Environmental Services department said that he was recommending the end of the program because of the low volumes of bale wrap collected, the poor quality of much of the wrap collected and the high costs associated with the program.

A pilot program which saw the collection of plastic wrap at three county sites including the Adjala- Tosorontio transfer site during Diversion Days saw only seven tonnes of material collected during the year.

Adjala-Tosorontio mayor Tom Walsh said that he did not want the county to drop the recycling program.

"The use of plastic wrap is the going way in agriculture and I'm upset that we could consider dropping the recycling program. Could we join with other municipalities to make it worthwhile?," he asked.

New Tecumseth mayor Mike McEachern said that he had similar concerns about ending the program.

"It seems a fairly small program which we should continue," he said.

Adjala-Tosorontio deputy mayor Doug Little added that he felt that the county should negotiate with Think Plastics, the only company which recycles the wrap, about their request for a ten year contract and work with other municipalities.

McCullough said that he had concerns about the length of the contract and the lack of competition in that part of the plastics market.