The city is talking trash and wants its residents to do so, too.
Earlier this month, River Ward Coun. Maria McRae announced the city will conduct four public waste and recycling fairs and an online questionnaire to gather citizens’ input on a long-term waste management plan.
“It’s anything that any resident has to say about garbage. It’s an opportunity for everything to be on the table,” says McRae. “It will help council to make some decisions about priorities.”
For Centretown residents living in apartments or condominiums, this could mean easier ways to recycle.
“I think one of the biggest challenges is the number of apartment and condo towers," says McRae."One priority for the city, obviously, is to make recycling easier in apartments and condos.”
Many apartments or condos don’t have access to programs such as the green bin or black box but if the residents indicate they want to recycle, the city will provide the means, says McRae.
Garbage collection for businesses is also up for discussion. Though the city has never been responsible for the industrial, commercial and institutional sector, or ICI, this could change, says Marilyn Journeaux, manager of solid waste services at the city.
The city collects curbside garbage from small businesses through initiatives such as the Yellow Bag program, but businesses have been slow to take part, says Journeaux. Many businesses are located in strip malls and handle their garbage through privatized waste companies, she says.
Dale Harley, of Tomlinson Environmental Services, says the firm collects garbage from more than 1,000 small businesses in Ottawa.
It’s easier for businesses to rely on private waste companies because they’re more flexible as to what garbage they will collect, he says.
Since businesses often rely on private waste collectors, the city misses out on a large opportunity to divert waste from landfills, says Jasna Jennings, executive director of the Byward Market BIA.
“The recycling component is very, very cost prohibitive and because of it the city and the province are missing opportunities to divert a lot of waste,” she says.
The findings from the questionnaire and community feedback will be brought before city council on Nov. 23.
The waste management survey will not have any effect on the biweekly garbage pickup scheduled to begin in November 2012.