The New City By-law Regarding Garbage. Is it making a difference?

As of July 1st, 2014, a new by-law was implemented where all your garbage must be in a city approved, hard sided container with a lid. The idea of the new by-law, is to hopefully reduce the number of animals and rodents that come to feed on loose garbage and garbage bags laying around.

For the month of July, the city was letting the by-law slide and were not issuing fines but, they would not take your garbage.  If your garbage was not picked up, you were to call 311 and, they would send someone from the city to your residence to explain why your garbage was not collected and go over the rules with you.

If there was anyone you saw not following the by-law, you were encouraged to call 311 and report them.  Especially, if their garbage was getting torn apart by animals and it was littering your property or, properties around you.

Here is what the City requires;

Acceptable Garbage Containers

Metal or Plastic Cans

• Maximum 125 litre/30 gallon capacity
• Maximum 78 cm/31" tall, 50 cm/20" diameter
• 2 handles and a water-tight lid
• No loose garbage inside container
• Collectors will not reach into pails to pull bags out.  This is unsafe as it could injure workers. 

Roll-Out Cart for Hydraulic Lift

• Carts must have a lower bar configuration 18" from the ground and an upper lift attachment that is 33" from the ground.  [See video under Related Links].
• Both the bar and the upper attachment must be in good condition.
• Roll-out cart will only be collected by use of mechanical cart mechanism placed on all garbage trucks.  
• No manual lifting of bags out of roll-out cart due to needle stick injuries, cuts from sharp objects or other dangers. 
• Only North American style carts meeting ANSI-B standards can be collected 
• Capacity limit 363 litre (96 gallon) or 181.5 litre (48 gallon) approved roll-out carts
• There are many different types of oversized garbage carts (greater than 125L or 30 gal) offered on the market today.  Not all can be emptied by the collectors. 
• No loose garbage inside cart

Plastic Bags 

Bags must be in a hard-sided container as of July 1, 2014 

• Never put glass or sharp objects in bags.

Unacceptable Containers:

• Cardboard Boxes - these should always be recycled or used for yard waste. *Exception - Broken glass should be placed in a cardboard box and closed/sealed/taped shut and clearly marked on the outside of the box "broken glass" and placed out with your regular garbage.  
• Oversized and overweight containers (+20kg/45lbs).
• Many wheeled containers that are sold are too big and when filled are too heavy.

It's not listed in the by-law guidelines but, you have to have a lid on the containers while being stored until collection day.  When you put your garbage out to the curb, you can remove the lid.  Also, do not use bungee cords or ropes or anything that will cause the lid to flip up potentially injuring the garbage collector. 

Now, in my opinion, from what I have seen in my neighbourhood, our garbage is collected usually around midnight.  If the city is allowing us to leave the lids off at the curb for pick up, isn't that contradicting the law? Most of the animals scrounging through the garbage, are nocturnal and will be out getting into or knocking over the containers before collection.

I also wonder what is going to happen at Christmas when the volume of garbage is more than usual.  Maybe not at all residences but, it will be increased at some.  

My main concern, from what I have noticed, is more and more garbage bags being dumped in allies and empty lots.  I don't think there are many people the know this but, if an alley butts up against your property, you are responsible for keeping the alley clean up to the middle.  The other side of the alley is cleaned by the person on the other side.

From the City's website it states:

• "Every owner or occupant of land which abuts on an alley is responsible to keep to the middle line of the alley, clear of all WEEDS, LITTER and other rubbish. Any person found in violation of this Chapter is liable to a fine of not more than $5,000.00.
• If you ARE NOT currently complying with the above, we request your co-operation in doing so in the future. 
• If you ARE maintaining the alley in a sanitary and safe condition we thank you for your concurrence with the Municipal Code.
• If a neighbour is not complying and is creating an unsightly/unhealthy condition please call 311 to arrange for an investigation by the Compliance and Enforcement Unit of the Building Department.  

I don't know if this law was really followed too often but, I think it should be now that people are dumping their garbage and rubbish anywhere they can.  As of now, I think it's just going to keep piling up more than I have already seen.  Who is going to clean it?  Should the city pitch in?  

What do you think of the new by-law?  Is it making a difference in your area?

This is a picture I took on December 12, 2014.  I walk down this alley every day and it gets worse every day it seems. 

Written By:  Mike Crawford