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City moves toward fewer garbage pickups

A number of communities have already done away with weekly garbage pick-up, and it looks like Burnaby could be following suit.
garbage
On Monday, city council approved a report from staff recommending implementing biweekly curbside and multi-family residential curbside garbage collection.

A number of communities have already done away with weekly garbage pick-up, and it looks like Burnaby could be following suit.

On Monday, city council approved a report from staff recommending implementing biweekly curbside and multi-family residential curbside garbage collection.

A staff report noted moving from weekly to biweekly garbage collection, while maintaining weekly collection of recycling (blue box) and green materials (yard waste and organics/food waste), will not only result in greater diversion from the waste stream, it will also provide opportunities for enhanced services.

The recommendation was already endorsed by the city’s financial management committee at a meeting last month.

The report noted the introduction of recycling and green waste has resulted in diversion of approximately 50 per cent of materials from being sent to the landfill or the waste-to-energy facility.

The city pointed to a recent report from Metro Vancouver that found communities that have moved from weekly to biweekly garbage collection, including Vancouver, Surrey, Richmond, Coquitlam, and Port Coquitlam, have seen an average of 33 per cent reduction in the tonnage of waste disposed, with reductions ranging from 26 to 43 per cent.

“The city, which is one of the few communities in this region still collecting residential garbage on a weekly basis, can also achieve similar reductions by moving to biweekly garbage collection,” the staff report stated.

The proposed changes got a thumbs up from city council.

Coun. Dan Johnston suggested some people will have to adjust to the changes, but overall it will be positive for the city.

“We’ve seen some of the mistakes some of our neighbouring municipalities have made, and some of the benefits they’ve achieved and I think we’ve got a plan that’s before us that I think is going to be quite successful,” he said.

Coun. Anne Kang said the move to biweekly pickup means people will take more care to ensure their organics are being properly disposed.

“I see people doing more so that their garbage cans are not filled up,” she said.

The city also said the proposed change would allow for enhanced street litter and illegal dumping clean up services at no additional cost.

The report suggested since the changes will result in diversion of waste and in many cases, it would allow residents to continue using their existing garbage toter for the biweekly schedule. However, there may be instances where residents still needs to upsize their existing garbage toter. Residents will have the option to upsize or downsize their garbage toter at no additional costs for a period of up to two years.

All the changes are expected to be implemented by April 2017.