An Ottawa resident is calling for compromise after she was threatened with hundreds of dollars in fines for putting out recycling bins the city says are too big.

Brigitte Woodburn says she tries to recycle as many things as she can and often ends up with a lot of excess items for the bins each week.

Woodburn says collectors picked up what was in the oversized bins in her former west Ottawa neighbourhood for about three years. It was only when she moved to the east end, she says, that it became an issue.

Bylaw officers have given Woodburn several warnings and say she will be fined $255 for each oversized bin she has out.

A number of neighbours said the move to fine her is “excessive,” adding they didn’t see anything wrong with the big bins.

On Thursday, Woodburn said she had spoken to the city’s manager for Solid Waste Collection Operations who said he would work with her to come up with a compromise that works for her and the city—a container that has a detachable cover, wheels and is size-appropriate.

According to the City of Ottawa, what is appropriate is:

(a) a curbside recycling plastic container, ranging in size from forty-five (45) L to sixty (60) L, which is blue or black in colour, which is compatible with the City’s collection system for recyclable material; and

(b) free of any ropes, nets or bungee cords and any lid must be completely separate from the recycling container;

(c) no more than fifteen (15) kg when full; or

(d) any other container determined by the City to be acceptable for the storing and setting out of materials.