Londoners will be able to voice their opinions about big changes coming to curbside garbage collection after the green bin program starts early next year.
On Tuesday, the Civic Works Committee supported launching bi-weekly garbage collection and weekly blue box and green bin collection on January 15.
Having already heard concerns about moving garbage collection with diapers and pet waste to every two weeks, members of the committee asked for a progress report from staff next July, after about six months.
“I would like to see a continuous feedback loop in terms of what we hear from the public, and even from the service side to see how the whole program is rolled out,” explained Counc. Hadleigh McAlister. “What I’ve heard from people is it’s a big change, and they want the opportunity to voice their concerns with the program.”
Reverting to same day collection means green bins and blue box recycling will be collected once a week, and households will be permitted up to three containers of garbage every two weeks.
Bi-weekly garbage collection (reduced from 42 times per year to 26 times per year) is expected to encourage households to redirect organics and recyclables into the blue box and green bins for weekly curbside disposal.
However, the changes may create a new challenge for some households.
Baby diapers, incontinence products, and pet waste will not be permitted in green bins.
Instead, they will continue to be disposed with a household’s regular garbage that moves from the current eight-day collection cycle to every two weeks.
Council will make a final decision about the changes to curbside waste collection on August 29.
