City defends two-week refuse collection
The city’s defending the idea of gradually reducing garbage pickup to once every two weeks in Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve borough. It’s supposedly an effort to encourage better use of recycling and compost collection, which will continue weekly, but city hall opposition wants weekly trash to continue in the summer. And nobody here mentions rats.
A related piece looks at the vast amount of garbage we produce, and how we’re running out of places to put it.
Nicholas 13:50 on 2023-01-25 Permalink
I find it hard to fill up a kitchen garbage bag even every two weeks. Mostly it’s styrofoam from meat and fish, which does smell a bit even if cleaned. But really we should be moving towards underground containerized recepticles: have one within a block or two of everyone, and you deposit your garbage in there whenever you want, and when it’s close to full a sensor alerts and dispatches a truck that lifts it out of the ground and empties it. No bags on the street, less labour, fewer trucks, fewer injuries to staff and pedestrians/cyclists, less smell and pests and you can put your garbage out any time, on your way to get groceries or to work. It works wonders in the cities I’ve seen them in.
jeather 14:37 on 2023-01-25 Permalink
It isn’t the volume of the garbage — as a single person I don’t have that much, even with the kitty litter — it’s the food going bad, especially in the not-winter. I find compost is much worse than this than regular garbage, too.
Em 18:40 on 2023-01-25 Permalink
I worry that people will just throw regular garbage in the recycling or compost bins just to get rid of it.
dhomas 18:59 on 2023-01-25 Permalink
@Em I find the opposite is true right now. People get rid of compostable material in the trash because they can’t be bothered to change their habits.
One of my tenants simply does not compost. I don’t even know if he still has his compost bin. Everything goes into the garbage. His garbage smells revolting and creates larvae in the summer.
I got a warning from the city (warnings/tickets go to the landlord) because it was blatant that he was throwing compostable material in the trash. The incident in question was because he had thrown an entire, hardened baguette and it poked a hole in the garbage bag.
I’m loving the compost pickup, though. I try to keep my compost bin outside in the winter and in the freezer in summer. My garbage smells much less now (except when I prepare meat/fish).
Blork 19:32 on 2023-01-25 Permalink
Garbage and recycling are each every two weeks over here in the evil ‘burbs, and it works well enough for most people. In my case I tend to put potentially stinky stuff (meat trays, etc.) in the freezer until pickup day, but that isn’t an option for everyone.
Nicholas 00:09 on 2023-01-26 Permalink
If this finally encourages people illegally putting compost in garbage bags to put it in compost bags, which will fully solve the smell and pests problem, then great. Maybe some fines (and not to landlords who do nothing wrong) will help finish the job. Most of us have adapted, and they can too. (Of course if all three streams get their own underground bin, we really will have no more problems.)
Dominic 12:12 on 2023-01-26 Permalink
I believe Vaudreuil is starting a test program where the actual garbage bin (the black bin) will have a QR code on it linked to your address. The truck will weigh each black-bin pick up and keep a running tally for every address. Anything over a preset limit will be charged additional fees. Recycling (blue bin) and Composting (brown bin) would remain free.
I think its an interesting method.
Kate 12:49 on 2023-01-26 Permalink
Dominic, I’d be concerned that people would do things like put their trash in municipal street bins (if such things exist in Vaudreuil), or simply dump it on any piece of waste land, rather than pay up.
Orr 23:50 on 2023-01-26 Permalink
In Outremont the city insists that address and apartment number are on all garbage, compost and recycle bins. I assume for bylaw officers’ random inspections and resulting fines and penalties. Because if there’s one things that motivates the citizenry, it is penalties, not incentives. No wonder people hate the government.