Norman Lee, Director of Waste Management, stated that utilizing a variety of townhouse collection methods could increase collection costs; residents may not be able to choose the collection method for recycling under the new producer responsibility program in 2024; and, not every resident will agree on the preferred option at any townhouse complex.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, it is proposed that the consultation with the townhouse Boards of Directors and/or Property Managers commence in 2022 with a goal that all complexes will have made their choices by the end of 2022. Staff also recommended that townhouse complexes that have already been converted to carts remain on cart-based collection at least until the new collection contract in 2024.
Staff recommend the following options to address residents’ concerns while meeting the Region of Peel’s objectives:
- Option 1a - Cart-based garbage and recycling collection with choice of 120, 240 and 360 litre carts and a cart-based organics collection with a 100 litre cart.
- Option 1a could be rolled out quickly because the pricing for collection have been approved; the three bins are available; and, the contracts are in place to supply the bins.
- Option 1b - Cart-based garbage and recycling collection with choice of 120, 240 and 360 litre carts and smaller cart-based organics collection with a smaller 46-80 litre cart.
- Staff will have to negotiate with the contractors the pricing to collect smaller green carts and the method of collection. Staff would also have to secure contracts for the supply of the smaller green carts. If the pricing is satisfactory, the Region can move forward with this option. However, staff recommends that the contract not commence before 2024 if the pricing will have significant implications to Peel.
For Option 1a and Option 1b, the individual townhouse units could choose from three sizes of waste and recycling carts and the townhouse management and Board of Directors would choose an organics cart size for the entire complex to facilitate collection.
- Option 2a – Cart-based garbage collection with choice of 120, 240 and 360 litre carts bag-based recycling collection and cart-based organics collection with a 100 litre cart.
- Option 2b - Cart-based garbage collection with choice of 120, 240 and 360 litre carts bag-based recycling collection and cart-based organics collection with a smaller 46-80 litre cart.
- The townhouse complex could choose to have recycling collected in bags. If they do so, the entire complex will be required to use bags for recycling to facilitate collection. Similarly, the entire complex would have to chose either the large organics cart or the smaller organics cart to facilitate collection. It also entails further negotiation with the contractors with respect to pricing; and, changes to the method of collection could have additional cost implications to the Region.
Members of Committee discussed and raised questions regarding: the options for the townhouse waste collections; the complaints received by Council members from the townhouse residents in their wards; the Region of Peel’s diversion targets; ongoing discussions with residents and townhouse complex management; the timing of the consultation plans to inform townhouse Board of Directors and/or Property Managers of the waste collection services options available; clarification of the Region’s current waste collection contract; the timing of the new waste collection contract in 2024; the inclusion of an education component regarding the transition of the Blue Bag Program to full producer responsibility in 2024; a request to look into the City of Toronto’s practice for garbage, recycling and organics cart-based collections; and, staffing resources and community education outreach due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Councillor Innis proposed that the consultations with townhouse complex Board of Directors and/or Property Managers commence in the fall of 2021 provided that staffing resources are sufficient and that COVID-19 restrictions are met.
Councillor Damerla suggested that the option for an earlier implementation be available, subject to satisfactory negotiations related to pricing with waste collection contractors, and provided that the proposed approach outlined in the report listed as Item 6.1 is met.