Halifax mulls switching to clear garbage bags, cutting limit to 4
Councillor Jennifer Watts says moves could save millions of dollars
Halifax council will consider requiring people to use clear garbage bags, and reduce the total number of bags from six to four, when it meets this week.
After council discusses the change, the proposed move will go to a fall public hearing. If it passes those hurdles, the bylaw could change by spring 2015.
Solid Waste managers had suggested setting a four-bag limit, and requiring all four to be clear, with a small “privacy bag” allowed each collection day.
Jennifer Watts, councillor for peninsula north, said the proposal going to council is for three clear bags and one dark bag.
“It's just fairly straight forward. And honestly, I think some people just don't have a lot garbage anyway so it will just simplify things,” she said Monday.
Watts said council may also ban boxboard and grass clippings from the green carts. Those changes would improve the quality of compost made from the city's organic waste, she said.
“Because of the effect of the chemical reaction when they decompose, it does have a negative impact on the product of our compost,” she said.
Forcing people to reduce the amount of garbage they put out and deal with their own grass clippings could save the city millions of dollars.
Cape Breton Regional Municipality switched to clear bags in 2011. Halifax is one of the last municipalities in the province to consider making the switch to clear bags