Less than 1% of Ottawa households exceed 3-item garbage limit during weeks 3 and 4 of new rules

A worker rides on the back of a waste collection vehicle in Ottawa. (CTV News Ottawa)

Less than one per cent of Ottawa households left out more than three items of garbage in the third and fourth weeks of the new rules for garbage collection.

As of Sept. 30, households are limited to three items of garbage every two weeks. Starting this week, all garbage over the three-item limit must be in a yellow City of Ottawa garbage bag to be picked up.

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New statistics released by the city show 0.40 per cent of 151,185 properties served during the week of Oct. 15-19 exceeded the three-item limit, while 0.15 per cent of 155,676 curbside properties left out more than three items of garbage during the week of Oct. 21-25.

Approximately 1.81 per cent of properties that receive curbside waste collection exceeded the three-item limit during the first week of the new limit from Sept. 30 to Oct. 4, while 1.04 per cent of households exceeded the three-item limit during the second week of the rules Oct. 7-11.

The city says less than 0.50 per cent of households have received a special tag for having oversized bins at the curb.

"A reminder that if a bin over the 140L limit is used for garbage set-out, or if properties set out an amount over the three-item garbage limit during the month of November, Solid Waste staff will leave a courtesy tag," Shelley McDonald, Director of Solid Waste Services, said in a memo to Council.

"Courtesy tags have been used to educate residents on waste disposal allowances in the past and will continue to be used moving forward to support residents in adapting to this policy change."

Council voted last week to extend the courtesy tagging for bins over the 140-litre limit until May 2, 2025, giving residents time to purchase new bins that comply with the city's bin size standards.

The City of Ottawa is phasing in enforcement of the three-item limit through the fall.

In November, households that exceed the three-item limit without placing the garbage in a yellow bag will have one item left behind by collection staff.

As of December, any garbage over the three-item limit that is now in a yellow bag will be left at the curb. A custom courtesy tag will be placed on the garbage items left behind.

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.