Next year, the City of Ottawa will lower its limit for curbside garbage collection to three items on collection day. No tag system will be introduced.
A garbage item could be a garbage bag, a 140-litre container or a bulky item. Households can put several smaller bags in containers up to 140 litres.
The landfill is filling up fast, and more than half of what currently goes to the landfill should go in the green, blue or black bin to be recycled.
Around 85 per cent of households already set out three garbage items or fewer on garbage day.
The new limit will encourage the remaining 15 per cent to think twice before throwing something away in the garbage if it should really be going in the green, blue or black bin.
Given the high cost of a new landfill, it’s better for everyone if we can extend the life of the Trail Road landfill by reducing the amount of waste we send there.
To support a successful transition to a reduced garbage limit, the City will share more information with residents well before the reduced limit comes into effect.
The limit would not apply to people living in buildings with more than six residential units. Last May, City Council approved a Multi-Residential Waste Diversion Strategy. It is now mandatory for new buildings to participate in the green bin program. The City is developing a strategy to ensure existing buildings that don’t currently offer the green bin can participate in the future. An update will be provided to City Council later this year.