Ottawa's 3-item garbage limit starts Monday, residents take advantage of final days

Residents in the Hunt Club area were leaving out large items for trash collection this week before the City of Ottawa's new three-item limit comes into effect. Sept. 24, 2024. (Dave Charbonneau/CTV News Ottawa)

Ottawa's new three-item garbage limit takes effect Monday, and some residents took full advantage over the weekend, throwing out as much waste as possible.

"We are actually expecting a baby very soon. So, we're just trying to clean up the house and whatnot," said Hunt Club resident Moudy Mahfouz.

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Mahfouz is preparing for the arrival of his new baby by decluttering his home and getting rid of anything unnecessary.

He's doing it now before the new rules kick in, which will limit households to three large items starting next week.

"I think it's good, but for bigger families, it might be tough. That's one thing we brought up because we always have a lot of garbage regardless. But with a baby coming and all the diapers and whatnot, we're going to manage," said Mahfouz.

Households will be limited to three large items at the curb, which can include anything from a garbage can to a dresser or couch. Any extra waste must be placed in city-approved yellow bags, which cost nearly $18 for a pack of four.

Residents have been throwing out as much as they can before the rules take effect, like couches, desks and piles of wood.

"Yeah, maybe we'll come up with more stuff. But basically, this is the garbage," said Kahlin Lakeh, another Hunt Club resident.

Some residents are even clearing out their garages.

"Some tools I don't use, some garbage needs to be arranged. Things I don't want," said Lakeh.

While the new program officially begins Sept. 30, there will be a phased-in approach in October and November before garbage collectors stop accepting more than three items in December.

The City of Ottawa hopes the new rules will help extend the life of the Trail Road landfill, but some are pushing for other solutions.

"Incinerators are 95 per cent cleaner than the landfill. So right off the bat, it's better technology," said Kanata South Coun. Allan Hubley, who supports building an incinerator in Ottawa.

Hubley says an incinerator could eliminate the need for a limit on garbage at the curb.

"We're converting our garbage into energy. So why wouldn't we look at options like that? There's no reason to limit it if you're turning it into a revenue source," Hubley said.

A decision on whether to build an incinerator is likely years away. For now, residents will have to adjust to the new rules, which could be a challenge for large families but may not affect others as much.

"Many people do recycle. And you can tell that the people who recycle barely have any garbage. It's incredible," said Jean Gauthier, another Hunt Club resident.