The Municipality of Montcalm recognizes three types of waste, and provides three types of bins for their collection:

brown bins for organic materials
green bins for recyclable materials
black bins for other waste

Follow the link above if you need to know how common items of waste are categorized. The remainder of this page explains how to deal with each type of waste at Proctor Lake.

How to dispose of waste

Organic materials

Upon arrival at the camp, place a paper compost bag, such as the type seen in the following photo, on the kitchen counter near the sink. Use this to collect any organic materials that are not hurled off the north side of the deck into the forest.

When a paper compost bag is filled, place it inside the blue plastic bag that contains recyclable materials. (This is only for transport to the brown bins at the gate.)

If not contained in a paper compost bag or wrapped in newspaper, organic materials may be placed loose in the brown bins at the gate.

Recyclable materials

Upon arrival at the camp, place a blue plastic bag inside the rectangular plastic bin near the kitchen door. Use this to collect recyclable materials.

Use the blue plastic bag to transport recyclable materials to the green bins at the gate.

Recyclable materials must be placed loose in the green bins. Therefore:

empty the contents of the blue plastic bag into the green bin
place the empty blue plastic bag in the black bin

Other waste

Upon arrival at the camp, place a heavy black plastic bag inside the square metal bin in the kitchen (the one with the foot pedal). Use this to collect other waste.

Use the heavy black plastic bag to transport other waste to the black bins at the gate. The bag may be placed in the black bins ‘as is’.

How to keep the bins secure

The bins at the gate are kept locked to prevent access by animals and locals. (Unlocking the bins on collection day is a service provided by other PLCA members; we are not expected to do it.)

All bins are secured with the same type of lock (see left photo below) and are opened with the same type of key. We have four copies of this key. Brad, Tracy, and Neil each retain one copy; the other two hang on the same nail on which the metal skewers are hung (see right photo below).

The dump

Items that aren't allowed in any type of bin may be taken to the écocentre in Huberdeau:

110, chemin de la Rouge, Boileau, QC J0T 1G0

From May through November, the écocentre is generally open every Saturday from 0800 to 1400.

The outhouse

Near the back wall of the outhouse is a large Rubbermaid bin that contains lime powder and a ladle. Every three or four days during your stay:

Raise the tin flap on the back wall of the outhouse, and secure it to the back wall using the hook-and-eye.
Use the wooden stick inside the outhouse pit to level the waste in the pit as much as possible.
Using the ladle in the Rubbermaid bin, sprinkle two or three ladlefuls of lime powder over each pile of waste.
Close the tin flap and the Rubbermaid bin.

Lime powder is a powerful irritant. Take care not to get it in your eyes, nose, or mouth. After completing this task, scrub your forearms vigorously in the lake.