Niagara Region is considering garbage pick up every two weeks and mandatory clear bags as it looks at what types of services it wants in its next collection contract.

Consultations with stakeholders about the 2021 contract are in the very early stages and will include public engagement later this fall.

"This is the initial start of a lengthy consultation process," said Catherine Habermebl, Niagara Region director of waste management services. "We looked at some proposed changes - again proposed - and that's what we're going to be consulting various stakeholders on for our next collection contract."

The Region's current contract with Emterra Environmental was extended until March 2021. While that seems far off, Habermebl said determining a recommended service level for the next contract needs to be done well before that date so it can be included in a Request For Proposals for collection service. She said the Region likes to give a successful bidder a year to acquire any resources, equipment and staff it needs to carry out the contract.

"What we're doing now is working on our consultation plan. Our plan is to go out and consult with our regional council, but also with our municipal councils and staff, as well as downtown associations, other industrial business associations that exist in Niagara, as well as the general public."

Habermebl said one thing that's consistent at properties across the region, whether residential, multi-residential, commercial or industrial, is the high percentage of waste in garbage bags that could be diverted.

She said half of what's in a residential garbage bag is organic material that could be better processed through the green bin program and about 12-14 per cent is recyclable.

"What we're trying to do is design services that will assist in encouraging residents and business to divert more material from the landfill."

The proposed collection service changes include every-other-week garbage collection for residences. Recycling and organics would continue to be picked up each week.

Residents would be allowed to put out two bags on their collection day instead of one, but Habermebl said the idea is that without weekly garbage pickup, people would use their green bin more, especially in the summer.

That every other week pick-up was included as an option in the last contract proposal, but Emterra provided a better price for weekly pick up.

Another proposal being considered is the mandatory use of clear bags for garbage so waste management could more easily monitor and enforce that recyclables and organics aren't in the bags. Residents would be allowed to put a smaller opaque, grocery-sized bag inside the clear bag for items they don't want their neighbours to see.

Proposed changes also include reducing the weekly garbage container limits for institutional, commercial, industrial and mixed-use properties in designated business areas from seven to four containers. Mixed use properties outside the designated business areas could see a change from six containers to four.

Also under review is limiting bulky goods picked up at multi-residential and mixed-use properties to a four item limit and discontinuing the collection of large appliances and scrap metal at residences. Habermebl said over the last two to three years there has been a decline in those items being scheduled and those that are get scavenged before the trucks arrive.

Karena.Walter@niagaradailies.com

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