Region eyes changes for recycling, trash collection

Public gets chance to comment on options at sessions being held across Niagara

Changes could be coming in the way trash is collected at the curbside in Niagara.

Several options are being studied, including picking up residential garbage only every second week while doubling bag or can limits, requiring garbage be kept in clear bags, and eliminating curbside collection of large appliances and metal items.

Throughout November, information booths and public meetings are being held across Niagara to gather opinions on possible changes.

No decisions have been made yet, and changes won’t occur until 2021 when Niagara Region is due to award a new contract for waste collection.

“What this survey is about is trying to reduce waste and increase recycling and organics participation,” Lucy McGovern, a program manager with Niagara’s public works department, said Monday.

“Recycling seems to be quite consistently practised. If you look down the street you’ll see a lot of recycling boxes, but you don’t see a lot of green bins. So we really want to encourage participation.”

The Region has been plagued with ongoing collection problems with its contractor, Emterra, unable to meet its schedule for pickups. However, that’s a separate issue from this study, McGovern said at a booth set up at MacBain Centre in Niagara

Falls.

“This is looking toward the future and the changes we want to make to improve waste diversion,” she said.

Other options include: establishing a four-item limit per collection for large items, and reducing weekly base garbage container limits to four from seven for businesses and mixed-use properties inside business areas.

After all the public meetings, feedback will be studied and forwarded to regional council. A decision on changes to recycling and trash collection rules is expected early next year.

Based on reaction so far, McGovern said, “I think every-oth-

er-week garbage collection is probably more palatable to many residents than the clear-bag option.

“However, the clear-bag option is shown to really reduce waste in other municipalities that have adopted it.”

By requiring garbage to be placed in clear bags — even if the bag is inside a garbage can — collectors can see if it contains items that should have been recycled or put in the green bin.

“People would be more apt to be more mindful in the way they sort and separate their waste,” McGovern said.

Curbside collection of appliances and other metal items might be ended, she said, because “what we’re finding is most often when you put a fridge or stove out to the curb, even before you call someone to pick it up it’s gone. Someone has taken it, salvaged it for revenue at a scrapyard.”

Earlier this year, waste management services director Catherine Habermebl said 80 per cent of Niagara households use their blue and grey boxes for recycling, up from 74 per cent in 2015 and 58 per cent back in 2004.

In 2016, Niagara homes produced 190,908 tonnes of garbage while a further 106,652 tonnes were recycled or composted and diverted away from landfill.

In 2017, Niagara Region spent $34.9 million for curbside collections, management of long-term organics collection and diversion, public education and operation of two working landfills and management of 12 closed landfills.

More public sessions are scheduled across Niagara, including Niagara-on-the-Lake Nov. 6, Thorold Nov. 8 and 19, Fort Erie on Nov. 13 and St. Catharines Nov. 15 and 30, .

A complete list of times and locations is online at NiagaraRegion.ca/ waste/ lets-talk-waste.