Operation of Trail Waste Facility Included in New Solid Waste By-law
Ottawa Council has approved a new Solid Waste Services By-law to guide the city’s waste collection, removal and disposal programs. The by-law was updated following a fulsome review and incorporates policy and program changes that Council has approved since 2012. They include:
- Transitioning the Blue and Black Box recycling program to provincial regulations
- Transferring responsibility for public waste receptable collection from Parks Maintenance and Forestry Service to Solid Waste Services
- Introducing the three-item curbside collection limit
- Requiring mandatory participation in the Green Bin program for multi-residential properties
- Adding language for clarity making interpretation and enforcement easier
The Solid Waste Management By-law has been in place for more than 13 years and was identified through the 2023-2026 Corporate By-law Workplan report for a fulsome review in alignment with ongoing city initiatives.
The by-law serves to guide the administration of the city’s waste collection, removal, and disposal programs. It includes a definition of waste streams, levels of service, collection schedules, acceptable material, waste limits, associated fees, operation of the Trail Waste Facility Landfill just outside Barrhaven, and enforcement standards.
Since the by-law was last fully reviewed and updated in 2012, Solid Waste Services (SWS) has sought and received Council approval on several policy and program changes with associated by-law impacts, including the Provincial Blue Box Program Individual Producer Responsibility (IPR), and most recently, policies and programs approved through the Solid Waste Master Plan (SWMP).
While minor amendments have been made to the by-law over the last 13 years, it has been done piece by piece without a full review.
Many of the updates included in the proposed draft by-law are administrative, focusing on revising definitions and provisions for clarity and alignment to current waste legislation and city operations including curbside collection, containerized (multi residential) collection, public space waste collection, and operation of the Trail Waste Facility Landfill.
