Admaston/Bromley Township office | Mik Horvath/MBC
In a bid to reduce waste entering the Osceola Landfill, Admaston/Bromley’s council is taking a broad approach to food recycler reimbursement.
Municipalities such as McNab/Braeside offered the patented FoodCycler to its residents, but Admaston/Bromley gives way to residents to purchase any food recycler they see fit for a $100 reimbursement.
Admaston/Bromley CAO/Clerk, Jennifer Charkavi, said FoodCycler wanted a direct partnership akin to other municipalities, however they are still happy to know Admaston/Bromley is still making an effort in reducing food waste.
A food recycler is an electric composter; its air-tight construction and portable size allow people to store and use the device indoors, which Charkavi said taps into a whole new level of accessible composting.
She also said food recyclers make composting accessible for people living in the more urbanized hamlets and villages with smaller plot sizes.
However, waste diversion efforts within the township is not just a 2026 issue; Starting in 2010 mayor Michael Donohue campaigned extensively to expand the Osceola Landfill.
It wasn’t until 2024, two years after Charkavi joined Admaston/Bromley’s ranks, when the landfill received its long-awaited expansion.
Expanding a landfill is a very long and complicated process and isn’t really a permanent solution; eventually the land will be filled in again if people keep wasting food.
Of the 3.7 million tonnes of food waste tossed by Ontarians each year, approximately 60 per cent of that is thrown into landfills according to the Township’s report.
Food waste is particularly difficult to handle once it reaches the landfill because the environment of a landfill blocks light and oxygen from reaching the waste.
Charkavi herself has experienced how a group effort results in waste diversion.
As a Pembroke resident, she was a little skeptical of the green bin program, but quickly saw the results.
Pembroke’s green bins are dedicated bins for food waste, and are collected bi-weekly outside the months of June, July, August, and September, when they are picked up weekly.
She said having a food recycler at home or even at the office is a similar idea in practice.
Reducing waste will also potentially reduce the damage at grocery store checkout; think of it as an audit on general consumption.
More information regarding the reimbursements can be found on the township’s website.
(Written by Mik Horvath)
