Twice a year, the City of Stratford invites the public to make comments and provide feedback on the operation of the Romeo Street landfill site.
There are topics and issues that come up regularly, and we’ve compiled a list of frequently asked questions to help address some of them:
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Why is there a charge for a pickup truck of yard waste at the landfill? |
| Typically, residents bring only small amounts of yard waste to the landfill site, in quantities of less than 200 kg. When someone brings in more than 200 kg of yard waste or recyclables, it is charged at the current per-tonne rate. The charge was established to deal with landscaping contractors who were bringing in large amounts of yard waste. A survey of nearby municipalities shows that some charge and some do not. |
| Why does it cost more to take a bag of garbage to the landfill? |
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The higher cost to dispose of a bag of garbage at the landfill was established to encourage residents to use the curbside (bag tag) service, and divert traffic away from the landfill. More traffic at the landfill means more management and maintenance costs. |
| Why is the landfill site so close to residential areas? |
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The landfill site has been in operation at this location since the early 1950s. The City of Stratford performs regular monitoring at the landfill and neighbouring properties to ensure we meet Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) regulations for things like leachate (the liquid that drains from the landfill) and methane (the gas that’s produced by decomposing waste at the landfill). |
| What is the expected lifespan of Stratford’s landfill? |
| At the end of 2018, we estimated that the landfill had enough capacity for approximately 26 years. This number is dependent on the amount of material entering the landfill on a yearly basis. |
| What are the plans for the future of the landfill site? |
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Once the landfill is closed, the City of Stratford will be required to continue to monitor the site. That will include operating the methane collection system, collecting and treating leachate, and ongoing testing of water from the test well at the site to meet MECP requirements. At this time, no end uses for the site have been identified. |
| How can we make the landfill more environmentally friendly? |
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The City manages the landfill site according to the requirements of the Certificate of Approval issued by the MECP. We do offer a number of waste diversion initiatives to help extend the life of the landfill, and reduce the amount of harmful substances that make their way to the site. That includes an active blue bin recycling program, a textiles diversion initiative and regular household hazardous waste collection days. We also have diversion programs for concrete, asphalt, shingles, metal, brush and leaf and yard waste. A wood waste diversion program and a mattress recycling program are also being investigated. |