More diaper collection added to garbage contract
Families with only one child could be eligible for weekly trash pickup
Niagara Region’s public works committee is recommending expanding the collection of diapers for families regardless of the number of children.
The issue is part of Niagara’s evolution to garbage collection every other week and weekly collection of recyclables.
Statistics from other municipalities show garbage collection every two weeks reduces the amount of waste headed to landfills and extends their life.
The new garbage and recycling regimen begins in October with the start of a new waste management contract. Emterra Environmental is being replaced by two companies, GFL
Environmental and Miller Waste Systems. Diapers complicated the move. To help families, council added weekly curbside diaper collection of diapers in separate bags to the plan, but only for families with two or more children.
The committee decided Tuesday to expand the collection to families with one child. The move still requires the support of full council.
“Going weekly is the right thing to do and going to one child,” said Welland Coun. Pat Chiocchio. “I don’t think it is fair to leave them out.”
A plan to manage diaper waste was approved by council in November 2019. There are also rules in place for the collection of diapers from daycares and from homes that produce large quantities of specialized waste because of medical conditions.
Because single child household diapers weren’t included in the initial service proposal, money must be found to expand the service, said Catherine Habermebl, director of waste management services.
Managing the cost of the new contract has been tricky. The last contract kept was extended, which kept rates in check.
As a result, the new collection contract is expected to increase the overall costs by 18.5 per cent over the full year in 2021. The plan is to use reserve funds to limit the annual increase to 9.8 per cent over the next three years.
Region staff used Ottawa as a model to estimate the cost of expanding collection to families with one child in diapers. The model predicts the cost would be in the range of $31,500 for the final months 2020. The estimate for the full year is expected to be somewhat less than $150,931 for 2021.
The committee also supported an amendment by St. Catharines Mayor Walter Sendzik to include the promotion of reusable cloth diapers from local companies that offer the service.