HRM proposes new garbage bag limit

Halifax Regional Council is proposing a reduction in the number of garbage bags allowed to be placed in front of homes on garbage day.

On Tuesday, the council voted to amend the bylaw for garbage collection and cut the number of allowable bags from six to four.

There will be a public consultation before any changes to the collection system are given final approval, the city said in a news release.

The last change in bag limits was put in place three years ago. At the time, the reduction in the bag limit went from 10 to six bags, every two weeks.

"A waste audit showed a 15 percent improvement since 2004 in the amount of residential garbage headed to the landfill and redirected to the other waste streams," said the release.

"However, the audit also showed there was room for improvement."

According to the city, more than 30 per cent of items in garbage from homes could be composted or recycled. Half of the garbage put out by apartments and businesses could be dealt with differently.

To help residents with the reduced number of bags, city council is also proposing that more types of plastic be collected as recyclables.

Currently, only plastic material types 1, 2 and 4 are picked up. Council is proposing that types 3, 5 and 7 also be included as allowable recyclables, which would leave only one plastic in the waste system — Styrofoam.