In response to the recent closure of the Hub’s Rebound Centre in Almonte, a small group of engaged citizen advocates has rallied in Mississippi Mills. By examining other nearby community programs that are successfully reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill by returning reusable items to the community, this group is looking for future solutions in Mississippi Mills. They are also actively addressing the closure of the Hub’s Rebound.
“Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.” The 3-R mantra has been adopted over the decades as human-generated waste continues to threaten our environment. This group wants to learn from other communities about their successful programs of waste reduction and reuse. This article features the McDonald’s Corners ReUse Centre in Lanark Highlands.
“I was taking my garbage to the town dump one day when I saw five computers in a pile ready to be buried with the waste,” explains Lanark Highlands resident Lynn Parks. “I needed a computer at the time, so I fished out the newest one from the pile. ‘Someone should do something’, I said to myself.” From this humble beginning came a very successful citizen-led waste diversion program. Lynn contacted her friend Chris Anstead, and then many other citizens rallied after a simple poster was shared throughout the community.
In the early days of their efforts, areas at some municipal waste facilities were designated for materials that could be reused and were free for the taking. Then in October 2009, these self-described “ReUsers,” with support from the Municipality of Lanark Highlands, opened the facility at the McDonald’s Corners waste site. Local businesses, tradespeople and volunteer carpenters came together and constructed a building on the site. ReUse had a proper home, with storage, sorting area, shelves, and a volunteer program. This marked the formal start of the centre as a place where items could be accepted, sorted, and offered back to the community free of charge, instead of being thrown away.
In 2010, the municipality passed Bylaw 2010-1061 — “ReUse Centre Operating Procedures” to formalize the relationship between the volunteer ReUsers and the municipality. It established rules for how the centre would run, ensuring “fair use” of the centre by residents — meaning it set out how goods are accepted, sorted and made available, specifically prohibiting profit-making from goods taken from the centre — no one is to resell for personal gain. The operation was to be volunteer based, not a commercial venture, but supported by the municipality. Lanark Highlands offered space at their landfill site and some funding for repairs and utilities, while the volunteer ReUsers would run the day-to-day operations.
In short order the efforts of the ReUsers showed signs of success as they collected and diverted goods such as books, clothing, furniture, small appliances, electronics, housewares and craft materials, sports and garden equipment, windows, doors and more from landfill. In 2009, an estimated 16 tons of reusable materials were diverted from landfill; in 2010 the number more than doubled to 37 tons; in 2011 it grew to approximately 75 tons; and recent counts have this figure at over 100 tons per year.
“Our partnership with Lanark Highlands and being here at their waste site is key,” shares Lynn. “We don’t have garbage pick-up in the Highlands, so everyone has to come here with their waste anyways. We make it easy for them to dispose of their reusable items. Most people take other things they can use home with them when they leave.”
“It’s an amazing place of social connection,” she adds. “Some days there are cars lined up at the gate before we open. Neighbours meet neighbours. It really works because of the dedicated ReUser volunteers, and oh yeah — everything is free!”
If you are concerned about the waste diversion of reusable goods in Mississippi Mills, send a message to After.Rebound@gmail.com to join our email group for updates and watch local media for further articles describing what other communities in our region are doing.
The McDonald’s Corners ReUse Centre’s winter hours (September 15 to May 14) are the same as their landfill: Thursday 2–5pm, Saturday 9am to 1pm, and Sunday 12–5pm. Please note: the drop-off of reusable goods at the McDonald’s Corners ReUse Centre is limited to Lanark Highland residents.
