Final phase of three-item garbage limit comes into effect

The final phase of the City of Ottawa’s graduated approach to a three-item garbage limit is set to begin Dec. 2.

As of Monday, any garbage above the three-item limit must be placed in a City of Ottawa yellow bag, otherwise it will be left behind.

The city unveiled its three-item limit in September in an effort to reduce waste build up at the city-owned Trail Road Waste Facility. The city’s website states that the landfill is quickly filling up and expected to be full by 2035 if habits go unchanged. But more than half of the garbage thrown out on garbage day could be recycled, composted or even reused.

Ottawa’s population is forecasted to reach 1.5 million by 2053, and the amount of waste is expected to rise by 31 per cent, noted the City.

The limit is part of the city’s Solid Waste Master Plan approved in June 2024. The city is striving to not only save landfill space, but also reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and minimize collection and disposal costs.

The limit requires garbage to be places in bins no larger than 140 L with the bin and its contents weighing no more than 33 lbs. Garbage containers must also have at least one handle, a removable watertight lid, and be plastic or metal. Bins larger than 140 L will continue to be collected until May 2, however, the total garbage limit is still 420 L and the contents cannot be too heavy for the operators to lift on the truck. if a bin is larger than 140 L, operators will leave a courtesy tag indicating that the bin is too large.

Any additional garbage must be placed in a City of Ottawa yellow bag. If homeowners fail to do so, operators will leave this garbage behind.

Data collected by the city during the phased implementation of the limit shows that residents are complying with the new rules.

Week eight of the implementation period, which ran from Nov. 18 to Nov. 22 saw 157,866 curbside properties collected. Only 0.03 per cent of households were tagged for having oversized bins and 0.72 per cent were tagged for having over the three-item limit.

A memo from Shelley McDonald, the director of solid waste services in the city’s public works department, reported the city has received over 750 reports of illegal dumping. The memo notes the majority of these complaints were received throughout October during Phase 1 of implementation. Staff are targeting wards and locations where illegal dumping is more reported with education campaigns and proactive surveillance. One fine has been issued for illegal dumping since policy implementation started.

Garbage is collected throughout the city every other week with recycling on the opposite weeks. Compost and yard waste is collected every week.

Here’s where to buy the yellow Ottawa garbage bags:

• Beacon Hill Home Hardware, 1934 Montreal Rd. (located in Ogilvie Square)
• Bridlewood Home Hardware, 90 Michael Cowpland Dr.
• Capital Home Hardware, 736 Bank St.
• Elmvale Acres Home Hardware, 1910 St. Laurent Blvd. (located in Elmvale Acres Shopping Centre)
• Leitrim Home Hardware, 4836 Bank St.
• Manotick Home Hardware, 1166 Beaverwood Rd. (located in the Mews of Manotick)
• Morris Home Hardware, 1226 Wellington St.
• Orléans Home Hardware, 470 Charlemagne Blvd.
• Stittsville Home Hardware, 6001 Hazeldean Rd.
• Trudel Home Hardware, 329 March Rd.
• Richmond BMR, 6379 Perth St.

Yellow bags are available at any City of Ottawa Client Service Centre during business hours.

Recreation and community centres

• Albion-Heatherington Recreation Centre, 1560 Heatherington Rd.
• Alexander Community Centre, 960 Silver St.
• Bob MacQuarrie Recreation Complex – Orléans, 1490 Youville Dr.
• CARDELREC Recreation Complex Goulbourn, 1500 Shea Rd.
• Carleton Heights Community Centre, 1665 Apeldoorn Ave.
• François Dupuis Recreation Centre, 2263 Portobello Blvd.
• Hunt Club-Riverside Park Community Centre, 3320 Paul Anka Dr.
• Jack Purcell Community Centre, 320 Jack Purcell Lane
• Minto Recreation Complex – Barrhaven, 3500 Cambrian Rd.
• Nepean Sportsplex, 1701 Woodroffe Ave.
• Overbrook Community Centre, 33 Quill St.
• St. Laurent Complex, 525 Coté St.
• Walter Baker Sports Centre,100 Malvern Dr.