City of Ottawa looked at these garbage policies before proposing a bag tag program

Ottawa's new partial "pay-as-you-throw" garbage policy will require all garbage bags to have a tag. Households will receive 55 tags for the full year, and extra tags will cost $3. (Leah Larocque/CTV News Ottawa)

The city of Ottawa looked at four short-term measures to help extend the life of the Trail Road Landfill before proposing a bag tag program, but staff said the other options would either be difficult to enforce or would have a lower impact on waste diversion.

The environment and climate change committee will vote Monday on the proposed "partial-pay-as-you-throw" program for garbage collection, with council having the final say on June 14.

Under the proposed bag tag program, homeowners would be required to put city of Ottawa issued tags on every piece of garbage set out at the curb. Homeowners would receive 55 bag tags for the year, with a $3 charge for every extra bag, bin or piece of garbage put out for collection.

Staff say the partial-pay-as-you-throw program would reduce garbage tonnage by up to 10 per cent per capita in year one and up to 28 per cent per capita by year five. It would also increase waste diversion rates by up to six per cent.

If the bag tag program is approved, it would be implemented in the spring of 2024.

A report for the committee says the city of Ottawa looked at three other policy options to encourage waste diversion and extend the life of the landfill: Firm Garbage Limits, a material ban on recycling and organics in garbage bags, and a clear bag garbage program with a recycling and organics ban for garbage.

Council has directed staff to look at waste diversion technologies and report back in the fall as part of the draft Solid Waste Master Plan.

CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at the other policy options considered by the city before staff proposed the partial pay-as-you-throw program.

Firm garbage limits

What is it?

A firm garbage limit would limit the number of garbage items that can be placed out for collection. No waste above the set limit would be collected. Staff say a firm garbage limit would result in an up to 11 per cent reduction in garbage tonnage per capita by year five.

Why was it not recommended?

"The consultant’s estimates suggest that a Firm Garbage Limit policy would have a lower impact on Ottawa’s diversion rate and lower ability to reduce waste than a Partial Pay-As-You-Throw program or Clear Bag Garbage Program," the report says.

Material bans on recycling and organic waste

What is it?

A material ban on recycling and organic waste would prohibit materials from garbage bags that could be diverted through the curbside recycling and green bin programs. Staff say a material ban on recycling and organics paired with a bag tag program or firm garbage limit could increase the diversion rate by an additional one per cent.

Why was it not recommended?

"Difficult to enforce in absence of a clear bag garbage program. Staff recommend focusing on educating residents about proper sorting of recycling and organic waste to align with the City’s Solid Waste Management By-law requirement of sorting waste," staff say.

Clear bag garbage program with recycling and organics ban

What is it?

A clear bag garbage program would require households to use transparent bags for curbside garbage collection. Garbage bags with excessive recycling and/or organic waste would not be collected.

Staff say this option could reduce garbage tonnage by up to 33 per cent per capita by the fifth year, and increase waste diversion rates by 10 per cent.

Why was it not recommended?

"Estimated impact on diversion was dependent upon the enforcement of a recycling and organic waste ban," staff say in the report.  

"Concerns were raised by stakeholders about the ability to enforce a ban given the number of households receiving collection each day and the number of households that use garbage bins (concealing the clear bag). Many respondents, especially in rural areas, stated they require their bins to reduce concerns with pests and wildlife."

Survey highlights

The bag tag program was the preferred option for a curbside waste diversion policy, according to the report.

Staff say 40 per cent of respondents to a survey and 31 per cent of participants in panel discussions said a partial pay-as-you-throw program was their preferred option.

Firm garbage limits were the preferred option for 22 per cent of respondents to the public survey and 29 per cent of panel participants.

Staff say when it came to the garbage limit, 70 per cent of public respondents and 90 per cent of panel respondents supported reducing the limit from the current six.