Changes and talks regarding the blue box program continues throughout the region. 

The Essex-Windsor Solid Waste Authority had a board meeting Wednesday afternoon to discuss different environmental issues throughout Windsor-Essex. 

The blue box program is already in effect, however starting in 2023 there will be a Food and Organic Waste processing system. 

The program that is implemented now spans across more than 250 municipalities and is in place to encourage recycling to remove garbage from landfills. 

Gary Kaschak, Chair for EWSWA, says the committee is always tinkering with the recycling program to improve it over time. 

He says rules throughout Ontario for recycling differ based on where you live.

"Some areas of Ontario you can recycle Styrofoam but you can't in Windsor-Essex, there's no facility to process Styrofoam and it's just not worth much money. So, eventually down the road it's going to be everything is going to be the same for everybody."

He says the new law in place where Canada is banning the manufacture and import of single-use plastics by the end of the year, will help with landfill reduction. 

"A lot of that stuff gets diverted to the landfill unfortunately, so the less that we have that, you're noticing a lot of stores now with paper straws instead of the plastic straws, so that much less going into our waste-diversion and into our landfills is really good moving forward."

He says what is projected for the future years in terms of the landfills in the region.

"Our landfill out in the county is only projected to be open until 2040 so the more we can divert from the landfill here moving forward, and keep that landfill open, hopefully it goes past 2040, the better it's going to be."

Ontario also intends to expand blue box services to some long-term care homes, apartment buildings, retirement homes and schools. 

There are also plans to increase recycling bins at public parks, playgrounds and transit stations.

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