City warns homeowners to use proper garbage containers

BY KEITH LACEY

Homeowners who insist on placing their household garbage in large containers contrary to city bylaws will soon find their trash won't be picked up by city crews.

For the past couple of weeks, waste collectors have been leaving behind written reminders to homeowners who insist on placing garbage bags into  large containers.

"We've giving people a two-week grace period...at the end of that period we're telling our people to not pick up waste that's being left in containers that are too large," said Danielle Braney, Acting Director of Solid Waste for the City of Greater Sudbury.

Placing garbage bags inside large containers is "a health and safety issue" as it often forces waste collectors to "overextend themselves" by trying to lift heavy loads that contravene city bylaws, said Braney.

The city implemented a three-bag waste limit about two years ago.

The city bylaw states the maximum capacity for those three bags - which can include garbage bags, garbage containers or garbage bundles - is 25 kilograms or 55 pounds, said Braney.

Garbage bags should be between 65 and 90 centimetres (three feet) wide and between 80 and 125 cm high (2.6-4 feet).  The bylaw states garbage containers should not 60 cm wide (two feet) or less and less than 95 cm (3.1 feet) high. All garbage bundles must be securely tied and be no more than 1.2-metres (four feet) wide.

Once a homeowner is given one or two warnings, garbage placed in non-approved containers will no longer be collected, said Braney.

Homeowners are also asked to not use cardboard boxes or grocery bags as garbage containers.

The bylaw also states all loose material such as sawdust, cooled fireplace ashes, etc., must be placed in garbage bags and liquids will not be collected as garbage.

The best way to dispose of pet waste is to flush it down the toilet to be properly treated at the sewage plant. Otherwise, it can be placed in regular garbage bags as long as it's properly wrapped and placed in a sealed, leak-proof bag and mixed with regular garbage.

Bundles of non-waxed cardboard will not be collected as part of collection services, says the bylaw.

Large containers are simply too heavy for waste collectors to lift and place in garbage trucks, said Braney.

Containers which meet bylaw requirements can be easily handled, lifted and garbage easiliy disposed of into the trucks, she said.

"The bylaw has been in place for some time now, but we've decided to enforce the bylaw more stringently because we have received a lot of complaints from our waste collection staff," she said.

Using proper containers to store garbage should also enhance the city's goal to reduce the amount of garbage being placed in local landfill sites, said Braney.

The province has mandated a target to divert 60 percent of garbage generated in Ontario households that currently ends up in landfill sites by the year 2010, said Braney.

"We must keep pushing the message to recycle, recycle, recycle," she said.

Homeowners who receive written warning tags will be provided with reasons why their containers aren't meeting bylaw requirements, said Braney.

"If any member of the public has concerns, they can call us as we have a full-time customer service representative available to deal with complaints," she said.

Many homeowners also continue to place things like glass and needles into plastic garbage bags and this poses other risks to waste collection employees, said Braney.

Braney is confident the move to have homeowners who use large containers purchase smaller containers that meet bylaw requirements will go smoothly over the next few weeks.

She warned those who don't comply won't have their garbage picked up after a two-week warning period expires.

For more information, phone solid waste services at the city by calling 311.