Time is running out for Londoners to put four containers of garbage at the curb before enforcement of a new trash limit begins.
As of January 16, the city will begin enforcing its three-container limit, requiring a garbage tag for each additional bag or container. Garbage tags cost $1.50 per tag and were recently made available at ten locations throughout the city.
"If you don't have a tag on that container or that extra bag that is over the container limit, it will be left behind," said Jay Stanford, director of environment, fleet and solid waste for the city. "That is a signal to you that next time around you've got to have a tag on it. So you can either hold it until the next pickup or you can bring it to the EnviroDepot. They are open on Saturdays and Wednesdays."
The new three-container limit came into effect at the start of the year but had not been enforced.
City council approved the three-container limit in June of last year. At the time city staff noted 91% of households were already putting three containers or less out on garbage day.
"We felt to get the next 9% in line it would be great to lower the limit. It would encourage a little more recycling, a little more composting, and if we get some extra waste diversion that is just fabulous," said Stanford.
City officials have stressed a container can contain more than one bag of garbage but cannot weigh more than 20 kilograms or be larger than 125 litres. The three-container limit does not apply to bulky items such as mattresses or furniture, meaning a household may leave three containers of garbage plus bulk items on collection day.
The number of collection exemption days has also doubled from two to four. Residents can put out an unlimited number of containers for collection following Thanksgiving and Christmas, the spring collection in late April to early May, and at the start of September.
Special considerations to the three-container limit will be made by the city on a case-by-case basis.
"Typically the catagory we are looking at is a medical exemption and we have heard from a small number of Londoners," said Stanford. "We are going to work with them to find a solution that works best for them. We do understand that medical exemptions require some extra care."
Since phasing in a four container limit in 2006, the average household cut the amount of garbage heading to the curb by 20%.
Garbage tags can be purchased at the following locations:
- North London Optimist Centre – 1345 Cheapside St., 519-661-5198
- South London Community Pool – 585 Bradley Ave., 519-661-0920
- Canada Games Aquatic Centre –1045 Wonderland Rd. N, 519-661-4455
- Carling Heights Optimist Community Centre – 656 Elizabeth St., 519-661-2523
- Kiwanis Seniors’ Community Centre – 78 Riverside Dr., 519-661-5740
- City Hall – 300 Dufferin Ave., 519-661-4570
- Four EnviroDepots:
- Oxford Street EnviroDepot: 1450 Oxford St. W (reduced winter hours)
- Clarke Road EnviroDepot: 28 Clarke Rd. (reduced winter hours)
- Try Recycling Depot North (under City contract): 21463 Clarke Rd., Arva
- W12A Landfill: 3502 Manning Dr.