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"Clearly We Are Making a Difference!"
The Township of Asphodel-Norwood adopted a Clear Bag Program as of September 1, 2018!
Examples of what can go in a clear bag
There are two very important reasons for making the change to a clear garbage bag.
The first being, every year numerous employees throughout the Province are injured due to sharp objects such as broken glass within household garbage bags. A clear bag will allow the individual collecting an "at a glance" view of any potential dangers within the bag.
Secondly, is waste diversion and making sure that recyclable materials are being kept out of landfills. Over the past 8 years the Township has come from a 35% diversion rate to a 50-51% diversion rate. Waste audits conducted by The County of Peterborough have proven that we can do better. The clear bags will allow the collectors to see if a solid effort has been made to remove recyclable materials from the household garbage bag. If it is not obvious that an effort has been made and there is more than 10% recyclable materials seen within the clear bag, that bag will not be collected.
The clear bag program will also be used at the Transfer Station site on County Road 40. It will be at the attendant’s discretion to monitor to ensure that an effort has been made to remove recyclable materials.
Soft launch week will commence September 3, 2018. During this week clear bags are mandatory. If a bag is found to be non-compliant by containing recyclable materials, it will be collected but a notice will be given to the resident. September 10, 2018 will be considered the hard launch week. During this week non-compliant bags will not be collected and a sticker will be left on the bag explaining why the bag was not taken.
Program Specifics:
- Food waste is still permitted at this time. The elimination of food waste prior to 2020 has been mandated by the Province. Alternate programs and solutions need to be researched/implemented prior to food waste being removed from the curbside garbage bag program.
- 1 non-transparent personal privacy bag is permitted per clear bag; this is for the disposal of discreet personal items. The privacy bag can be the approximate size of the common grocery bag.
- A 10% allowable tolerance is permitted for non-waste or "garbage" materials. The "at a glance" 10% is at the discretion of the collection employee. An obvious effort must be made to have recyclable materials removed from the bag.
- Any kitchen catcher type bags that do not contain discreet personal items must also be clear.
- Current bag limits will remain the same.
Frequently Asked Questions
| Why would a municipality want to implement a clear bag program? |
| The clear bag program has 2 priorities; worker safety and waste diversion. The clear bag allows collection staff to clearly identify any hazards within the container such as sharp or broken glass that could pose a potential safety threat with a quick assessment. |
| Do clear plastic garbage bags cost more than traditional black plastic bags? |
| Both clear and black plastic garbage bags are made from identical materials but without coloring added, so the suggested retail price should be identical if not slightly less. |
| What should I do with my leftover black garbage bags? |
| Due to enough lead time being given, residents are encouraged to use up their black bags prior to the September launch of the program. However any surplus bags can be given to friends/family in other areas that have not yet adopted a clear bag program. |
| What about my privacy? |
| One non-transparent bag is permitted within each clear bag as a privacy or personal bag. This bag can be the size of a typical plastic shopping bag. These items include: sanitary products, incontinence products, medical/pharmaceutical objects, and other personal items. |
| What if I have a medical condition and require an exemption? |
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You may apply for an exemption from the clear bag waste collection policy. To be eligible, applicants must submit an application along with proof of the medical condition verified by a medical professional to the Township Office. It is the responsibility of the resident to to renew their exemption status each year. |
| I am a great recycler and really make an effort, why do I have to do this? |
| This will be an easy transition for you; the only change will be the colour of the bag. This program is intended to encourage residents that currently don't participate fully in the waste diversion activities provided. |
| What if there is divertible or recyclable material in my clear bag? |
| The Township is providing a tolerance level of 10%. It is up to the collection staff to determine at a glance if a good effort has been made to remove recyclables from the garbage stream. The program is trying to engage the non-recycle users to participate in the blue box programs. If it is determined that your bag contains more than 10% of divertible or recyclable materials your bag will not be collected. |
| How to get a Blue Box? |
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Blue Boxes are available at the Township Office. The cost is $6.00 each. If your blue box is broken, you can exchange it for a new one at no cost. |
| How to reduce your waste? |
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Composters or Digesters in your back yard is the easiest and most cost effective way to reduce waste from your home. Both are available at the Township Office. Composter $30.00 inc tax Digester $55.00 inc tax |