The expansion of waste disposal and recycling in Ponoka will kick off with new carts.
As of Jan. 2, residents will see new grey garbage and green composting carts delivered to their homes as new contractor CanPak gets ready to take over on a new three year contract.
The carts are slated to be delivered sometime over the next couple of weeks, while the old carts from GFL will be picked up as part of regular collection on Dec. 20, 21 and 31.
As was the case three years ago, the new carts will be coded to match the residential address.
“Our new contractor Can Pak Environmental Inc. has been unable to finalize an agreement with our current contractor (GFL) for the purchase of the existing carts,” explained Ponoka’s manager of operations Dwayne Kwolick in a press release.
“So new grey and green carts will be delivered to all Ponoka residences in December prior to the launch of the new contract.”
Among some changes to waste pickup are: the green compost card will accept — year-round — food and yard waste including kitchen food scraps, meat, fish, bones, food-soiled paper and cardboard, pet waste and cat litter (loose or in compostable bags), wood shavings, coffee grinds, tea bags, wood popsicle sticks and toothpicks, small amounts of cooking oil plus nuts and shells.
Residents should note one adjustment to the collection schedule with Zone 2 residents seeing it moved to Wednesdays from Mondays.
Zones 1 and 3 residents will continue to have collection on Thursdays and Fridays respectively.
“Our goal is to make the transition to this new contract as smooth as possible for our residents. The contractor is working with us to ensure that happens,” Kwolick added.
New updated waste collection calendars — complete with lists of acceptable and not acceptable green cart items will be available soon on the town website and at the town office as well as in the Hometown Weekly in the Ponoka News. The calendars will also be mailed out with the town’s next utility bill.