Residual material

Residual Material Pick-Ups: A message to the citizens

Every week, the Municipality of the Township of Potton is questioned about the collection of residual materials. Both citizens and people in charge of the pick-ups say they are unhappy. To remedy the situation, the municipality invites the population to show more solidarity. Most of the problems reported could have been avoided if citizens had respected the basic instructions for collection.

Municipal residual material pick-ups

Drop-off for residual material

You have missed a pick-up ? Drop-off for residual material at the municipal garage (5, West Hill Road), is open every Sunday from 1 pm to 5 pm to receive materials usually picked up door-to-door.
Accepted: only recyclable materials (blue bin), organics (brown bin) and final waste.

Residual Material: Government Guidelines during the Pandemic

Please click on the following links:

• Streets are not trash cans
• The toilet is not a trash can
• Reusable bags
• Soiled Material
• Refundable containers

Organic material

In addition to the material usually disposed of in a domestic composter, the third-way pick-up allows to compost meat, fish, dairy products, fats such as oils and even paper napkins, cardboard soiled by food (pizza boxes or plates) as well as compostable tableware !
Organic Material is picked up every two weeks during summer and every four weeks during winter in a brown bin.
Please see the Checklist to know which materials are accepted in the brown bin

Guidelines

Kitchen countertop bin: Line the bottom of your kitchen countertop bin with newspaper

Brown bin: Organic materials may be deposited in the brown bin in bulk or in paper bags. To facilitate the use, you can:

• Place cardboard or newspaper at the bottom of bin to facilitate the emptying process
• Add in layers, by alternating between newspaper sheets and wet organic matter
• Package material in newspaper or paper bags before placing them into bin
• To reduce potential odours, place bin in shaded area, if possible

If necessary, secure the lid with a bungee cord.

Attention! Compostable starch bags (looking like plastic) are not accepted.

The use of regular plastic bags or oxobiodegradable plastic bags is not permitted.

Recyclable Materials

• Plastic, paper/cardboard, glass and metal are picked up every two weeks in 360 litres blue bins
• To know which materials are accepted, see the Checklist
• All recyclable materials must be placed loosely in the bin (not in clear or other plastic bags)
  Cardboard must be folded or cut if bulky
• Large containers must be crushed to save space
• Plastic shopping bags and other flexible plastic materials are collected in a separate clear plastic bag and tied before adding to bin
• All plastic, glass or metal containers must be emptied and cleaned before being placed in the bin
• Paper and cardboard must be clean and free of any organic or other material
• Glass container lids should be removed and metal can lids must be folded inward. Plastic caps may be left on plastic bottle
• Don’t leave flyers and newspapers in plastic or « Publi-Sac » bags
• Shredded paper must be packaged in clear plastic bags tied which is then placed in the bin
• Wrapping papers or other types of paper should not be crumpled but rather placed in the bin in a form that uses the least amount of space.

Residual Waste

Residual Waste is the waste that is not recyclable nor compostable !
To know which materials are residual waste, see the Checklist.

Residual waste will be collected in green, black or gray bins of size 360, 240 or 120 liters.

Bulky items

The annual pick-up of bulky items is replaced by a new home pick-up service by appointment. We now have an agreement with la Ressourcerie des Frontières, an organization that collects bulky items to provide them with a second home or recycle them up to 90%. You can dispose of your bulky items or small items throughout the year as follows (you do not need stay home on the day of pick-up):

Contact the Ressourcerie at 819-804-1018, Toll-free: 1-855-804-1018 or info@ressourceriedesfrontieres.com

• List the items to be picked up as accurately as you can (to estimate the amount of truck space required) and provide your address and contact information.
• Allow approximately three weeks for pick-up (to optimize transport efficiency). The Ressourcerie will contact you 24 to 48 hours before pick-up to confirm the date.
• Prepare the items to be picked up: Gather small objects into boxes. If possible, wait until the day of the pick-up to place your items outdoors. Place items outdoors, in an area sheltered from the weather or under a tarp and ensure that the truck can access them easily (not on the side of the road).

This service is offered on routes normally serviced by the door-to-door pick-up. For other roads, the Ressourcerie will evaluate each case to decide whether they are able to reach the site.
Please continue to support the Reilly House and the Flea market of the Club des retraités in the basement of Saint‑Cajetan Church, which accept items in good condition such as furniture, toys, clothing, etc.

Wheeled Bins

Roadside Placement and Return of Bins on Pickup Day

• Place bins on the side of the road the night before;
• Bins must be removed from the roadside no later than twelve (12) hours after the pickup;
• It is also necessary to provide a space of 18” separating the bins or any other object (shelter of bins, mailbox etc.)
• Place bins as close as possible about 3.5′ from roadside;
• The front of the bins must face the road/wheels towards your property (see picture below);
• 
• Do not leave any material on the lid and make sure that the container is properly closed and that nothing is sticking out;
•  It is not necessary to systematically (at all collections) put your bin on the road side if it is not full.

Bin Shelters

Shelters for bins may consist of a hedge and/or structures made from wood or other materials. For shelters (excluding hedges), the following guidelines apply:

• No building or other permit is required for the construction or installation;
• The materials used should be similar to the materials used for the residence;
• Only one shelter per property is permitted;
• Shelters are strictly to be used for bins;
• Shelters must be placed no closer than 1.5 meters to the side (lateral) or back property line;
• Shelters may be installed on the front yard only if the property is located outside the urban area; in this instance shelters may be installed up to the frontline;
• Shelters must be located outside the municipal right of way, and in no way should they hinder road maintenance and snow removal;
• Shelters must be kept clean and well maintained.

The residual material pickup contractor is not required to take the bins from the shelter and/or place them back; this is the responsibility of the residents.

In order to plan the size of the shelter, here are the sizes of the wheeled bins :
240 litres brown bin (for most residences) : Width of 26,70 inches/67,81 cm and height of 40,50 inches/102,87 cm
360 litres brown bin (for business or shared bins by townhouses, condos, and common spaces) and blue bin : Width of 28,70 inches/72,89 cm and height of 45,13 inches/114,63 cm

In 2023, the Ecocentre will be open on Wednesdays from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. and on Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., starting Wednesday, May 3rd until October 28th. Closed Saturday August 19th (Spirit of Potton Festival)

The Ecocentre is designed to receive the waste that you can not put out for the door-to-door pick-up.

• PAYMENT METHOD WITHOUT CONTACT: Debit card accepted only. Cash not accepted.

Location: 5, chemin West Hill

The following materials are accepted:

• Construction, renovation and demolition materials (CRD)
• Bulky items
• Household hazardous waste
• Car batteries
• Tires
• Clothes and shoes
• Electronic material
• Propane tanks
• Polystyrene expanded only
• Organic material, recyclable material and waste

The ecocentre is not a free service. A part of the operation costs are reflected in your annual tax rate for garbage and recycling. However, for the sake of application of the “user-payer”, certain materials (ex. construction materials and bulky items) are charged at the ecocentre on a quantity basis.

For questions about the ecocentre, you may call Sabrina Mruczek at 450-292-3313, ext. 233.

Branch drop-offs 2023:

Branches are not accepted at the Ecocentre, but 3 drop-offs for branch will take place at the former landfill on Bellevue Road (take Traitement-des-Eaux Road) on Saturdays between 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.:

• May 20th
• July 8th
• September 9th

Purchase of domestic composters

The MRC Memphrémagog finances the purchase of domestic composters.
For more information, visit this link. (In French only)

Do you need help with composting ?

There are new books on composting available at the library in both English and French.

In English :

The Complete Compost Gardening Guide. Barbara Pleasant & Deborah Martin
Let it Rot!: The Gardener’s Guide to Composting. Stu Campbell
Worms Eat My Garbage. Mary Appelhof

Flyer on home composting :

Presentation on home composting:

How to build a composter (french):

The Municpality offers a subsidy for the purchase of cloth diapers

Criteria for Participation:

• Purchase a set of at least 20 cloth diapers (the application must be submitted to the Municipality no later than 90 days following the date of purchase)
• Complete the Reimbursement Application Form
• Attach the original purchase invoice, a copy of a proof of residence, and a copy of a proof of birth
• Report to the Town Hall to submit the documents

You can order compostable dishes at the Town Hall.  You have to:

• Fill out the Excel form and send it via email to info@potton.ca. It is important to indicate the date you will need the order to be ready,
• Wait until you receive an email confirmation before picking up dishes at the Town Hall,
• The dishes may be payed via debit, cash or check to : Municipality of Township of Potton.

Order Form for Compostable Dishes

The Municipality has a Zero Waste Events Policy

This Guide to Zero Waste will help you plan your Zero waste event

Accepted :

• Expanded polystyrene : Packaging for electronic and household appliances, coffee cups, coolers.
• Extruded polystyrene : Disposable plates and bowls, egg packaging, trays for meat, fish and poultry, fast-food containers.

Non-expanded polystyrene  such as rigid # 6 plastics (ex. yoghurt pots) is not accepted and has to be put with garbage.    

Preparation of polystyrene containers :

• Remove labels
  • Remove any adhesive tape
  •  Remove the absorbent pads
  •  Remove peelable lids
  •  Wash the containers

You may bring polystyrene at 5, West Hill road on Wednesdays from 1 PM. to 5 PM and Saturdays from 8 AM to 1 PM. from May to October and every Sunday of the year from 1 PM to 5 PM (except Christmas Holidays)