Windsor City Council will soon weigh its options after a 29 per cent increase in illegal dumping since 2015, despite a program instituted a few years ago to prevent it.
Two years ago, Windsor introduced a bulk collection program after complaints of dumping in city alleyways.
Residents are using the program. Right now, they can call 311 and request pickup for two items at the cost of just $10 per item. The pickup is twice a month. In the first year, there were 24 pickup days, and 32 last year. So far this year, there have been 20 pickup days.
A report to the Environment, Transportation and Public Safety Standing Committee outlines four options to address the uptick in dumping, including expanding the bulk item pickup program.
"The only requests for change to the current program received by the department has been to increase the number of items per collection from two to three," read the report. "It is possible to do this, with minor budgetary impact by reducing the maximum number of stops per week from 80 to 65."
Another option is to create a swift clean up crew to clear away dumped items as soon as possible, but the administration does not recommend it because it believes it would only increase dumping.
The option would also require an annual budget of $250,000, and another $185,000 for start-up costs. Costs could also escalate if dumping increases.
A third option is to set up a second public drop off depot in the west end of the city. It would accept only garbage and metal items, and it might shorten long lineups at the depot on North Service Road.
It would also be costly to set up, and the city would have to arrange it with the Essex Windsor Solid Waste Authority, which operates the existing depot.
The city already has four surveillance cameras set up a known dumping sites, and they have worked to deter it. A fourth option would be to install more in other areas where people are leaving their garbage. That could mean hiring a full-time worker to monitor those cameras and educate the public. The annual cost of that program could be $105,000, plus $45,000 for a vehicle, and $12,000 per camera.
It is anticipated city council will consider the options during budget deliberations.