Transparent garbage bags and reductions in collection frequency appear to be inching closer to reality as Niagara Region waste management officials presented city council with the results of surveys and audits they say support those two initiatives.
Niagara’s waste collection contract is up for renewal and the region is looking for ways to both increase residents’ diversion rates and lower costs for taxpayers. A final report with recommendations will be presented to Regional council in March with any changes in collection service coming into effect by March, 2021.
Regional staff are now in the process of reporting their findings and receiving input from Niagara municipal councils.
Acting wasting management services director Lydia Torbicki told council Niagara’s percentage of recyclables and organic materials being diverted from landfills has been stuck at 56 per cent for the last several years. Using results gleaned from several provincial municipalities with populations in excess of 300,000, she said those communities have succeeded at changing garbage collection to every other week and implementing the use of clear garbage bags to allow garbage collection employees to enforce waste diversion rules. In its report to council, staff suggest opaque plastic bag, like a grocery bag, be used to hide personal items residents might be uncomfortable being left on display at their curbs.
Green bin and recycling collection would continue on a weekly basis.
On average, Torbicki said only half of Niagara households participate in the green bin program. She said a typical garbage bag in Niagara is filled with 50 per cent organic material which could be diverted, 14 per cent recyclable materials and only 36 per cent actual garbage.
Pointing to communities such as Durham, Markham, Halton, Toronto, Ottawa, Vaughan, Peel and Waterloo where similar initiatives have already been implemented, she said diversion rates have increased between six and 16 per cent following a change to collecting waste every other week. She said Waterloo reported annual savings of $1.5 million after switching, adding potential contractor’s have already told the region it could save approximately $1.2 million by switching over.
Other changes being considered include lowering the number of large items which can be collected on a single collection day to four from no limit. In addition, the region wants to get out of the business of collecting appliances and metal items. Torbicki said most of the items are currently scavenged by scrap entrepreneurs.
Changes would also see a reduction in downtown areas for businesses and mixed use properties from seven bags to four and a reduction for businesses outside downtown areas from six to four. She said the current average for those types of buildings is currently two bags per collection. Torbicki said a lower bag limit more accurately reflects the reality in those areas, adding there is currently almost no organics diversion efforts by businesses.
Any changes to rules affecting downtown businesses would be somewhat muted as the city pays an additional $43,316 for enhanced service in that area. The city’s total bill for waste management services is $1.43 million.
Susan McPetrie, an advisor with the Region’s Waste Management Services, told council the Region has been collecting input from residents through public meetings, social media, newspaper ads and online and telephone surveys.
Asked to choose between the clear bag option, collection every-other-week, and both clear bags and every-other-week collection, 42 per cent of Thoroldites chose every-other-week in the telephone survey, while 35 per cent made the same choice in an online survey. The clear bag option came next, followed by the option of both in the telephone option. In the online survey, however, 34 per cent said they supported neither option, a choice that wasn’t made easily available in the telephone survey.
Overall, 52 per cent of residents survey by phone said they wouldn’t support the mandatory use of clear bags, while 73 per cent in the online survey said they also wouldn’t support that option either.
On the business side, 58 per cent said they could manage a reduction to four bags, but were more concerned about any reduction in the collection schedule for areas which currently enjoy enhanced collection services.
Councillor Victoria Wilson said she had concerns regarding a loss of weekly collection for families with infants who may have trouble grappling with rapidly mounting piles of dirty diapers. Torbicki said other communities managed to “adjust” to the new collection schedule, suggesting diapers be stored in cool areas and be kept in containers with tight lids.
Wilson worried some parents may resort to “just throwing it out of their car and littering our streets with diapers.” Torbicki said those with diaper problems could access drop off depots across the region or take any items they need to be rid of directly to the Walker Bros. landfill.
Councillor Jim Handley wanted to know if the region had every investigated whether collection costs could be reduced by ending the use of contractors and bringing the service in-house? He said municipalities such as Toronto, Hamilton and Guelph provide collection services directly. Other than noting Hamilton hadn’t switched to every-other-week collection, Torbicki offered nothing else in response.
Handley was also concerned clear bags identified as containing recyclable or organic waste would be left behind on the street, a concern amplified by a recent increase in regional rodent and rat populations.
Torbicki responded that yes, that was how the system would work, but added residents would be given time and assistance to adopt to the new rules. She also suggested storing garbage in a solid container if rodents become a nuisance. She also said diverting organic material from garbage and storing them in green bins would also help.
In reply to questions raised by Councillor Ken Sentence over any increases in illegal dumping following the changes being discussed, Torbicki said other communities did see an increase in dumping, but the increase was always temporary.
Mayor Terry Ugulini wanted to know why the region hadn’t considered a closed-top container system where organics, recyclables and garbage are each stowed in their own container. McPetrie said Peel did adopt that system but the initial cost of purchasing the containers was $35 million for 325,000 single-family homes in 2013 and annual replacement costs of $1-3 million. She also said that system led to more cross-contamination of the three waste streams leading to costly stoppages at processing facilities. She did add, however, everyone is allowed to use a garbage can.
