All residents can expect blue, green and black bins for their house due to the recently approved Universal Recycling and Organics Collection Program.

The program has made a combined waste management fee for the town that will show up on residents monthly bill for $20.50 per month; the same total of having a garbage, recycling and Eco fee in the first place.

Waste Services Manager Paul Lyons says the town believes the new project will put Okotoks on the right path to achieve the 2020 objective.

"The Universal Recycling Project is one that is required for us to meet the 2020 objective...of 80% diversion from landfill. The enhanced program will include a 120L organics collection for all residents, as well as a 240L recycling cart. Currently, the subscription for the 240L cart is about 64% and it's the towns objectives to bring everyone into this program, and that will really assist us in meeting the objective."

It is believed that 40% of household waste is organics and 75% is recyclables.

Another change that will keep from dumping in the landfill is the closure of the South Side Recycling Collection Site at Walmart.

Lyons says there is a number of reasons why this site will be closed as of October 1st.

"The issue with that, and there are numerous issues, but the material that is coming from there we are still sending a fair bit of it to the landfill. So the material is just contaminated with garbage...and then the bin there was placed there prior to the town having this 32 street option of residents accessing the Recycle Center."

With the Recycle Center being accessed by 32nd Street the town thinks it will more efficiently reduce garbage being dumped and increase the quality of what's being recycled.

Residents should know that with the new system more compost materials can be accepted and a summer promotion of the blue cart recycling program will include one month free service for those who sign up to the existing program.

The newest project will be effective as of October 1st and rates of $20.50 per month will remain for the rest of 2016.

For more information on the universal recycling and organics collection visit Okotoks.ca.

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