bi-weekly garbage pick-up

Niagara Region is considering every-other-week garbage collection for the 2021 waste collection contract.

The Region’s Public work committee has been trying to come up with new ideas for the new contract to reduce waste and save money.

“There is both the environmental benefits of it as well as cost avoidance for the next collection contract.” Says program manager with waste policy and planning, Brad Whitelaw.

During the month of November, Public Work committee started a survey to ask the residence for their opinion in the proposed options that are being considered in the next contract.

Whitelaw says municipalities who already adopted the every-other-week collection program have seen an increase in their diversion rate.

The proposed ideas includes every-other-week collection, the use of clear bags, putting a limit on large item collection and the elimination of weight goods.

“I don’t think it’s going to work right away, people are already putting double collection out, and not following most of the rules,” says Garbage Technician, Will Bullet.

The decision for every-other-week garbage collection doesn’t include organics or recyclables. The committee wants to encourage people to use their more environmental friendly garbage cans.

“Residence don’t want to hang on to their recycling and their organics,” adds Whitelaw “They actually will naturally put/utilize their green bin and their recycling box more.”

 Garbage creates things like leachate and methane gas which have to be treated, so reducing the amount of garbage in landfills will reduce the amount of toxins in the environment.

Some residence are opposed to the idea of using clear bags for privacy reasons. Whitelaw commented on that saying residence can use opaque bags inside the clear bags.

“The idea with using clear bags is to increase awareness of what’s placed in the garbage so things like recycling, the organics, as well as hazardous materials should not be placed in the garbage,” says Whitelaw.

According to Whitelaw, if staff see any recyclables, organics or hazardous material in the garbage, it won’t be picked up which will then bring the residence to use their green and blue bins.