CORNWALL, Ontario – Cornwall’s lower bag limit comes into effect this week. As of Oct. 5, the maximum number of garbage bags a household can put to the curb is now four down from six or two garbage containers.
“Containers should be no larger than 136 litres or 30 gallons, weigh less than 27 kilograms or 60 pounds, and have two handles. Bags should be no larger than 106 cm by 120 cm, and weigh less than 27 kilograms or 60 pounds,” reads a statement on the Cornwall website.
While technically in effect, the City has announced that it will not enforce the four bag limit until Feb. 1, 2021. Until Feb., households may still put out up to six bags, but will be contacted by the City to inform them of the bag limit change.
The goal of the bag limit is to encourage households to recycle and divert garbage from the landfill.
The City of Cornwall landfill has roughly 15 years of use left in it, with costs just to close and maintain the site expected to exceed $36 million.
The City offered the following tips to residents looking to reduce the number of items they put in the trash:
- Start with your shopping habits. Consider buying less or buying items that can be recycled.
- Increase your recycling efforts – chances are, there are recyclables in your trash. Use the Recycle Coach app to check whether your waste is recyclable.
- Consider backyard composting.
- Be aware of items that must go directly to the landfill – such as household hazardous waste items, and bulky items.
Steps that the City of Cornwall is taking to reduce the burden on residents includes investigating adding a compost collection service, and selling bag tags for any additional bags that a household may put out to the curb above the four bag limit. Bag tags will be $1.50 each and will be introduced in the coming months.
READ MORE: City goes with four garbage bag limit, for now
“If you need to go beyond that level of service, you should be paying, as you are contributing to the clutter of our landfill,” explained Councillor Hébert at the Sept. 14 meeting of Cornwall City Council. “My plea to my colleagues and to all residents of Cornwall is to embrace this bag limit and to do your part in reducing your footprint and waste.”
The bag limit will be reduced again on April 5, 2021 to just two bags per household or one garbage container.
