Crews to begin leaving extra garbage at the curb this week under Ottawa's 3-item garbage limit

Ottawa's garbage collectors will begin leaving extra items at the curb this week, as the city ramps up enforcement of the new three-item garbage limit.

The new garbage limit took effect on September 30, as the city looks to extend the life of the Trail Road Landfill.  In October, all garbage items were collected, and a courtesy tag was left if the three-item limit was exceeded.

Starting this week, the city will begin enforcing the new three-item limit, with any garbage above the three-item limit required to be in a City of Ottawa yellow bag. Collectors will leave one item at the curb with a courtesy tag if the household exceeds the garbage limit and the extra items are not in a yellow bag.

The yellow bags are available at 11 hardware stores, 13 community centres and six city client service centres, with four bags costing $17.60.

In December, any garbage items over the three-item limit that's not in a yellow bag will be left at the curb with a courtesy tag.

"I understand the purpose; trying to push people into reducing," Liliane Vincent said on Monday.
"That's the only way you can reduce your garbage. Buy less. Be careful what you buy. Buy things that aren’t wrapped three times in three bags or huge cartons and so on."

Lee McCormack says the new three-item limit is "no problem at all."

"I never exceeded it. I didn't even know the rule to be truthful until you told me."

Barbara McDonald Moore says the city needed to allow people to "ease into" the new limits.

"If people have, you know, extra kids in the house or things going on or whatever, or there's two families or something like that, then you pay the extra bit and yeah, you know, you get your garbage because it's what you need to put out," McDonald Moore said.

There is no limit on the number of items in recycling and compost bins.

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CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at what you need to know about the three-item garbage limit.

November garbage rules

Starting Nov. 4, any garbage above the three-item limit must be placed in a City of Ottawa yellow bag.

If the three-item garbage limit is exceeded and yellow bags are not used, one item will be left behind with a courtesy tag indicating the limit. 

Examples

• If you place four items at the curb and the extra item is in a yellow bag, all items will be picked up.
• If you place five items at the curb and the two extra items are not in a yellow City of Ottawa bag, one item will be left at the curb with a courtesy tag.

What counts as a garbage item?

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.

What are examples of three-item combinations?

The city of Ottawa says households can put out any combination of accepted garbage items as long as they stay within the limit of three. The three items of garbage can be bins or cans/containers or three bulky items.

Examples include:

• Two bins and one broken chair
• Two black garbage bags and one bin
• Three bins  
• Three plastic waste bags

The City of Ottawa provides examples of the new three-item garbage limit, which takes effect Sept. 30. (City of Ottawa/release)

Yellow bags

Starting in November, any garbage over the three-item limit must be placed in a yellow bag.

Yellow bags will be sold in packages of four for $17.60.

“There is no limit to the number of yellow bags that can be purchased and set out on garbage day,” the city says.

The city says large bulky items and furniture cannot be bagged.

Excess waste can also be taken to the Trail Road Landfill. The minimum fee for disposing of garbage is $35.

Here is the list where yellow bags are available:

Ottawa’s Client Service Centre locations during business hours.

Retailers

• Beacon Hill Home Hardware, 1934 Montreal Road located in Ogilvie Square.
• Bridlewood Home Hardware, 90 Michael Cowpland Drive.
• Capital Home Hardware, 736 Bank Street.
• Elmvale Acres Home Hardware, 1910 St. Laurent Boulevard located in Elmvale Acres Shopping Centre.
• Leitrim Home Hardware, 4836 Bank Street.
• Manotick Home Hardware, 1166 Beaverwood Road located in the Mews of Manotick.
• Morris Home Hardware, 1226 Wellington Street.
• Stittsville Home Hardware, 6001 Hazeldean Road.
• Trudel Home Hardware, 329 March Road.
• Orleans Home Hardware, 470 Charlemagne Boulevard.
• Richmond BMR, 6379 Perth Road.  

Recreation and Community Centres

• Albion-Heatherington Recreation Centre, 1560 Heatherington Rd.
• Alexander Community Centre, 960 Silver St.
• Bob MacQuarrie Recreation Complex - Orléans, 1490 Youville Dr.
• CARDELREC Recreation Complex Goulbourn, 1500 Shea Rd.
• Carleton Heights Community Centre, 1665 Apeldoorn Ave.
• François Dupuis Recreation Centre, 2263 Portobello Blvd.
• Hunt Club-Riverside Park Community Centre, 3320 Paul Anka Dr.
• Jack Purcell Community Centre, 320 Jack Purcell Lane.
• Minto Recreation Complex – Barrhaven, 3500 Cambrian Rd.
• Nepean Sportsplex, 1701 Woodroffe Ave.
• Overbrook Community Centre, 33 Quill St.
• St. Laurent Complex, 525 Coté St.
• Walter Baker Sports Centre,100 Malvern Drive.