1 per cent of Ottawa households exceed new 3-item garbage limit in first 2 weeks

A worker picks up garbage in Ottawa. (Leah Larocque/CTV News Ottawa)

Fewer than 4,500 Ottawa households exceeded the new three-item garbage limit in the first two weeks of the new household waste rules.

The city implemented a new three-item limit on all households that receive curbside waste pickup on Sept. 30, with the goal of extending the life of the Trail Road Waste Facility until 2049.

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Enforcement of Ottawa's new three item garbage limit will be phased in over the next three months. In October, all garbage left at the curb will be collected, with staff leaving a "custom non-compliance tag" on a garbage bin indicating the limit has been exceeded.

Starting in December, only three garbage items will be collected every two weeks, and a non-compliance tag will be attached to garbage items left behind.

Statistics released by Solid Waste Services show 1.81 per cent of the 151,185 properties served during week one exceeded the three item limit, while 1.04 per cent of the 155,676 curbside properties served in week two exceeded the limit. Coun. Riley Brockington shared the data before the city released a memo to the media.

In a memo to council, Director of Solid Waste Services Shelley McDonald said 0.42 per cent of properties in week one and 0.31 per cent of households in week two were noted for having oversized bins.

The three-item limit applies to all households that receive curbside collection from the City of Ottawa.

A garbage item could be a garbage bag, a 140-litre container or a bulky item. The city says households can put several smaller bags in containers up to 140 litres, "so long as the weight is less than 33 pounds per bin." An item could also be furniture or a bulky item that can’t be reused or donated.

If you have waste over the three-item garbage limit, you must use a City of Ottawa yellow bag. The city says residential yellow bags can be purchased from participating retailers for $17.60 for a package of four.