WATERLOO REGION — Large families and residents not keen on using the green bin may not be happy if the region goes ahead with new garbage rules expected to take effect in 2017.

"It may be more difficult to manage for larger households and some of those residents who don't currently green bin," Jon Arsenault, director of waste management, told regional councillors at a meeting Tuesday.

The Region of Waterloo has scheduled a public input meeting May 6 to hear from residents on changes to garbage collection that would enforce bag limits and impose other restrictions.

Two options were presented to regional councillors Tuesday.

Staff prefer Option 1 which would see landfill garbage picked up once every two weeks, with a limit of four bags per household.

Option 2 would see landfill garbage picked up every week with a limit of two bags per week.

For both options green and blue bins would be collected every week and yard waste would be picked up twice a month from April to November. Large appliances, up to three, would be picked up every two weeks. The existing special and downtown business services would continue.

For each option residents would also have to pay a fee if they have landfill garbage bags beyond the permitted limit, though a cost per bag tag has not been determined.

In a regional telephone survey of 511 people that staff consider representative of the average citizen of the region, 68 per cent said two bags of garbage would be a good limit if there was weekly garbage pickup.

Thirty-five per cent said three to four bags would work for garbage collection every two weeks and 34 per cent of people said they would prefer at least five bags of garbage permitted if it's only collected twice a month.

That's caused some concern that larger families will be disadvantaged by the program.

"I'm very concerned that we don't want to limit them, the larger households," Coun. Wayne Wettlaufer said.

Arsenault said there will be education and other ways to help larger families.

"These proposed changes are not intended to create hardship for those residents who legitimately generate large amounts of garbage," he said. "These things can be addressed and we can assist these residents."

Staff say Option 1 could save up to $1.5 million annually and Option 2 up to $750,000.

New rules would go into effect in 2017 when current waste collection contracts end but approval is slated for May 26 so garbage contractors have time to adapt to the new collection routine.

The changes are driven by the regional Waste Management Master Plan and the region's desire to prolong the life of the Waterloo Landfill on Erb Street.

"It's also the right thing to do in terms of recycle, reuse and all that kind of stuff too but it's really to have more diversion and costs come down and landfill capacity goes up," Coun. Tom Galloway said in an interview.

Option 1 could save up to two years of capacity at the landfill because it would force homeowners to be more vigilant in separating smelly organics from their landfill garbage because bags will only be picked up every two weeks.

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Staff estimate it could divert 15,000 tonnes from the landfill, while Option 2 would divert about half that and save about one year of landfill life.

Staff say there are 15 to 20 years of capacity left at the landfill.

The public input meeting will be held the evening of May 6 at regional headquarters, 150 Frederick St. in Kitchener.