Tenants shouldn’t move large garbage items curbside until appropriate day and time

Q: Just before COVID -19 struck, I rented a house in Sandy Hill with a few friends. We are moving out at the end of this month, and have moved some of our stuff out already. But there is a lot of garbage left, including an old couch and a mattress. Can we leave them at the curb? What do we do if we still have garbage when we move out?

A: Do not leave the couch or other waste at the curb other than at the proper collection day and time. The city can fine a tenant who puts out garbage too early or too late. The city can also charge back cleanup costs to the landlord, and even issue fines. Between a fine and a cleanup charge, a tenant and a landlord could be on the hook for $500 or more.

Large items, such as couches, mattresses and other bulky items normally accumulated at residential dwellings, which can easily be lifted into the city's garbage trucks, are picked up at the same time as residual curbside garbage (every two weeks).

In Sandy Hill, the next curbside garbage days this year are Tuesday, Aug. 24, and Wednesday, Sept. 8 (a delay of one day due to

Labour Day). People moving out of Sandy Hill this August, such as you and your roommates, should try to have their move-out garbage placed at the curb for pickup on Aug. 24.

Garbage is not to be left out at the curb until 6 p.m. on the day before collection day, and should be set out by 7 a.m. on collection day.

If you still have garbage left when you move out, do not

put it out at the curb. All such garbage should be stored at the back of a property until the

night before collection day.

Any garbage that will attract animals needs to be in a sealed plastic or metal container so that animals do not get in it and spread it around. Arrange with your landlord to place your remaining garbage at the curb on collection day.

For people moving in, the first collection day is Tuesday, Aug, 31, but that is for the black box (for paper recycling), the green bin (organic waste) and yard waste, not residual garbage, like couches or garbage generated by moving. The green bin is picked up every week. Items that can go in the green bin include all food scraps,

Kitty Litter, waxed paper, paper towels, facial tissues and pizza boxes.

The days for garbage, recycling and green bin collection vary across the City of Ottawa. A tenant or resident can check for their garbage and recycling days by visiting www.ottawa.ca. Under “hot topics for residents”, choose “Garbage and Recycling collection calendar”. If you enter

your address, you can pull up your specific collection calendar. You can even sign up for email or instant message reminders. You can also look up information on whether items belong in the green bin, black bin, blue bin, residual garbage, or if they must be taken to a Hazardous Waste depot.

Landlords should ensure their tenants know the garbage days and garbage rules, and when they are allowed to put garbage out to the curb. That is especially

important for tenants who are moving out or moving in.