City of Ottawa looked at these garbage policies before proposing a bag tag program
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.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Work stoppage possible as WestJet issues lockout notice to maintenance engineers' union
A lockout notice issued by WestJet to a union representing aircraft maintenance engineers could result in a work stoppage next week.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Auston Matthews skates ahead of Game 7, status unclear with season on the line
Auston Matthews was back on the ice with his teammates Saturday.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
Snakes almost on a plane: U.S. TSA discovers a bag with small snakes in passenger's pants
According to an X post by the Transportation Security Administration, officers at the Miami International Airport found the small bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's trousers on April 26 at a checkpoint.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
Feds hope to table foreign interference legislation next week: LeBlanc
Democratic Institutions Minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to table legislation this week to help the federal government address foreign interference, but he wouldn't say whether the proposal will include a foreign agent registry.