Landfill Garbage Diversion – A Cost Saving Opportunity for Ward 8 Taxpayers

Hello, Ward 8 Neighbours!

This summer the City of Hamilton will be tendering it’s Municipal Waste Collection Contract for 2021 – 2028 (with possible extensions to 2030)

The previous term of Council provided direction that landfill garbage will continue to be picked up on a weekly basis.

However, there are significant cost saving opportunities for Ward 8 taxpayers if landfill garbage diversion strategies are considered – including bi-weekly landfill garbage collection and/or a change to clear landfill garbage bags.

For a full statement by Ward 8 Councillor John-Paul Danko, please continue reading below.

Landfill Garbage Diversion – Tax Saving Opportunities Statement by Ward 8 Councillor John-Paul Danko

Current Waste Collection and Diversion

The City of Hamilton currently has 4 waste streams with weekly collection: landfill garbage,  green bin organics, recycling, leaf and yard waste.  We have a landfill waste diversion goal of 65%. We are currently at a 40-50%, a diversion rate that has not improved over the last few years despite significant waste management investments by Council.

This summer the City will be tendering it’s Municipal Waste Collection Contract for 2021 – 2028 (with possible extensions to 2030)  – so if we are going to talk about landfill waste diversion rates now is the time to have that discussion.

Landfill Garbage Diversion Opportunities

Diverting LANDFILL GARBAGE from the Glanbrook Landfill has a direct financial benefit to Taxpayers.

In 2012 City staff estimated that bi-weekly collection could have resulted in a savings of $60 million dollars for the collection contract years 2013 to 2020. Recently Waste Management Staff reported that for every 5% of landfill we now divert, the life of the Glanbrook Landfill would be extended by another four years, resulting in an estimated value to Taxpayers of $63M dollars.

Again, it’s important to remember that BI-WEEKLY COLLECTION would ONLY be for LANDFILL GARBAGE, while recycling, green bin organics, and leaf and yard waste would still be collected weekly.

Landfills are meant for non-recyclable packaging and plastics – a relatively small proportion of the total volume of household waste.  For the average household that is currently making an effort to recycle, use their green bin and separate leaf and yard waste, a change to bi-weekly collection would have minimal impact on their daily routines. While diapers and pet waste may be a challenge, alternative plastic-free compostable diaper options and compostable ways of disposing of pet waste are becoming increasingly popular.  When households need to dispose of a large volume of landfill garbage (such as after cleaning out a garage or basement), the City would continue to offer garbage bag tags and bulk item pickup to accommodate.

Landfill Garbage diversion from multi-residential, commercial, and rental properties is an ongoing challenge. Waste Management staff are reviewing options and strategies.

While many comparator municipalities have already transitioned to bi-weekly collection for Landfill Garbage, this is not the only way to increase diversion rates and save Taxpayers money; a simple change to clear plastic garbage bags increases diversion by 10%. Other municipalities use utility pricing where residents are charged based on the actual size or weight of the Landfill Garbage that they put out.

Regardless of the preferred diversion methods, I believe our Council has a duty to consider the potential savings to our hard working Taxpayers by having a full discussion on our LANDFILL collection and diversion strategies, before we are locked into a new contract until 2030.

Questions or Concerns?

If you have any questions you can contact our office here.