Nov 4th, 2024

Green Corner: New garbage rules from the City of Ottawa, what you Need to Know 

Starting on Sept. 30, the city lowered the amount of garbage allowed to be put out for curbside collection.  

How much will change?  

Before September, residents could place six garbage items out on the curb – now the limit is three.   

Here’s what counts as a garbage item: 

• A garbage bag  

• 140-litre or 300-pound container   

• A bulky item like a couch, desk, chair, mattress or cabinets.  

Households can still put several smaller bags in containers up to 140 litres. The rules for composting and recycling stay the same.   

Why is the city doing this?   

Landfills are filling up fast. To protect them for future generations, the city wants us to compost and recycle more. This helps save space in the landfill for things that can’t be recycled or composted.  

Who does the new rule apply to?  

• The three-item garbage limit applies to all households that use curbside collection.  

• This new rule includes households that put garbage at the curb, laneway or at an approved common pad collection area.  

What if I have extra garbage?  

If you have more than three items, you can buy special bags to allow you to throw away additional garbage. A pack of four costs $17.60 and can be found at selected Home Hardware stores.   

I don’t put my garbage on the curb; how does this affect me?  

With the new limits, some residents from other areas may try to use our community bins for their extra garbage, leaving less room for household items. If you see illegal dumping in your community, call security at 613-731-1182, option 1.   

Let’s Keep our communities clean   

Keeping communities clean is something we all share. Each year, OCH spends a lot of money cleaning up litter and sorting out garbage in the wrong bins. This is money that could be used for community improvements. Let’s work together to keep our spaces clean and green.