The City of Ottawa is rolling out its new Solid Waste Master Plan, which aligns with the Council resolution of June 2024. Starting Monday, September 30, single-family homes and low-density residential units will be limited to placing three garbage items at the curb. This measure aims to divert waste from the Trail Road Landfill and prolong its operational life. The three items of garbage allowed can be:
• 140-litre garbage bins.
• A garbage bag with a maximum weight of 33 pounds.
• A piece of furniture or other large-sized items.
The city noted in its press release that any three items in any combination are acceptable for pickup; however, if residents exceed the limit of items and still need to dispose of trash, then a city-mandated residential yellow bag (available in packs of four for $17.60) must be purchased. The bags will be available for sale in October, and there is no limit to the number of yellow bags that can be put out on collection day.
Residents with a higher volume of trash because of healthcare waste, incontinence products, and diapers can sign up for a special consideration program. Households are required to participate in weekly recycling and green bin programs. The only items allowed in the one exempt bag for off-week collection are the aforementioned products.
Agricultural-producing households within the city will also be subject to exemptions during the spring when higher volumes of waste are typically generated and will be exempt from the three-item limit between April 1 and May 31.
The city noted in its official statement that 50 percent of all waste that ends up in the landfill could be recycled, and by cutting down on the amount of trash, residents can refocus on increasing recycling efforts.
The city has released a series of videos on its YouTube channel warning citizens not to dump household waste in trash bins at parks and other community locations as it is considered illegal dumping, as well as in the dumpsters of private businesses such as retail stores and gas stations. If you spot illegal dumping, you can report it online at ottawa.ca/311 or by calling 3-1-1.
The Ottawa garbage plan, which sparked considerable debate last year, may merely postpone the necessity for a new landfill. Meanwhile, the introduction of three-bag capacity grey bins has proven successful in neighbouring Gatineau, which also adopted a tagging system for additional waste back in 2018. A survey indicated that by 2022, there was a 25 percent reduction in waste headed to their landfill, with only 18 percent of residents paying for extra garbage bags.
Header photo: www.facebook.com/cityofottawa
