STAFF REPORT

December 15, 2005

To: Works Committee

From: Geoff Rathbone, Acting General Manager, Solid Management Services

Subject: The Use of Translucent Bags for Garbage

Purpose:

To respond to a request from Works Committee to report on the use of translucent bags for Toronto's garbage.

Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

There are no financial implications arising from this report.

Recommendation:

It is recommended that this report be received for information.

Background:

At its meeting of June 25, 2005, the Works Committee requested the General Manager, Solid Services, in consultation with the industry and interested parties, as required, to report to the Works Committee on using translucent garbage bags.

Comments:

Benefits of Using Translucent Bags for

The main incentive to making the use of translucent bags at curbside compulsory would be to enhance the ability of our waste management staff to identify households that are not participating in our waste diversion programs, including Green Bin, Blue Box and leaf and yard waste composting. Staff would then be able to enforce mandatory at the curb, as well as ensure that waste items banned from landfill in Michigan (i.e. hazardous waste, yard waste) are not being collected unintentionally.

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Some Challenges Regarding the Use of Translucent Bags

There are no laws that prohibit the use of clear bags for curbside garbage collection, and there are a few municipalities in Ontario where the use of clear bags is currently obligatory. However, there are numerous items regularly found in household trash that residents may wish to maintain as private. The use of translucent bags could arguably be regarded as an invasion of one’s privacy.

In addition, it may be difficult to regulate the use of opaque grocery sacks, which are generally used to collect waste throughout a household. These smaller bags are often transferred to a larger garbage bag prior to placing them at the curb. Small grocery bags would obscure visibility in a translucent bag and would defeat the intent of any proposed by-law. This has been the experience in some municipalities where mandatory use of translucent bags has been introduced.

To guarantee a suitable supply of translucent garbage bags in retail stores, industry representatives have indicated that manufacturers and retailers would require six months to one year to order and stock adequate supplies of clear bags as well as use up current supplies of opaque garbage bags, for a city the size of Toronto. It was implied that there may be a premium on clear bags, but this may not apply given the size of the Toronto market. We have not had discussions with retailers regarding the provision of transparent retail carry out sacks.

If the City decided to enforce the use of translucent bags for garbage collection, a by-law amendment would be required to re-define acceptable garbage set-out requirements. Section 844-10 of the Residential Properties Waste Collection by-law currently allows household residences to set out garbage in “a plastic bag measuring approximately 66 centimetres by 90 centimetres and capable of supporting 20 kilograms when lifted”. This by-law would require a change to incorporate the mandatory use of translucent garbage bags with an additional restriction on the use of opaque plastic grocery bags.

Current Municipal Examples

At present, the City of Guelph is the largest municipality to implement the use of translucent bags in their waste collection service. Guelph employs a three-stream garbage program, whereby residents are required to sort their material into three separate clear bags; organics are collected in a translucent green bag; recyclable materials in a translucent blue bag; and all other waste is collected in a clear bag. Guelph does not have quantitative data on the success of collecting garbage in clear bags. The Region of Durham is also moving towards the use of translucent bags for garbage collection.

In the United States, the State of Wisconsin has provisions in their State garbage and recycling regulations for the mandatory use of translucent bags. However, a waste management specialist from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources advised that many communities struggle with the enforcement of the ordinance. Privacy issues, comparable pricing and availability of clear versus opaque bags and the visibility of bags (for example, automated collection systems - 3 - where bags are hidden inside a can or cart and not easily viewed by collections staff) are key issues with Wisconsin’s program.

Internationally, some cities in Japan and Taiwan require the use of translucent bags for garbage collection, in addition to stringent sorting policies. Taipei operates a pay-as-you-throw system whereby residents are required to purchase clear bags from the municipality which incorporate the cost of waste disposal and recycling. There is no quantitative data available on the impact on diversion rates from municipalities currently using translucent bags.

Conclusions:

The main advantage of requiring the use of translucent garbage bags is that it would enhance the ability of waste management collection staff to identify those households that are not participating in the City’s mandatory waste diversion programs. However, this advantage can be negated through the use of opaque grocery bags which are then placed inside the translucent garbage bags.

Most single-family households are participating in the City’s waste diversion programs. Some of these households may be sensitive about their neighbours seeing certain items in their garbage and may feel their privacy has been invaded. This could potentially result in negative reactions to City policy and its waste diversion programs.

Contact:

Jodi Callan Senior Analyst, Waste Diversion Planning Solid Waste Management Services 25th Floor, East Tower, City Hall Tel. No. (416) 397-0204 Fax No. (416) 392-4754 E-mail: [email protected]

Geoff Rathbone Acting General Manager Solid Waste Management Services

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