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Be the One: What a One Container Limit Can Do In Your Community
Be the One: What a One Container Limit Can Do In Your Community
Raffaella Morello, Project Manager, Operations, Operations & Waste Management Division, Public Works Department, City of Hamilton, ON
This eSession will detail how, over the past ten years, the City of Hamilton’s garbage container limit has been phased from a six-container limit in 2002, to a one-container limit in April 2010. This web seminar will be of interest to many municipalities that may be contemplating changes to their waste collection services to improve waste diversion in their community.
The City of Hamilton’s population has increased significantly over the past 30 years, which has led to increased demands on the City’s waste management system. In 2000, City officials realized that major changes were required to ensure the long-term viability of the City’s waste management system.
Making changes to waste container limits creates significant public and political scrutiny and this was a significant factor in the development of Hamilton’s waste services. The presentation will examine some of the challenges faced, including increased requirements for customer service and questions related to illegal dumping of waste materials. Overall, the community was responsive to the change, with the majority of households being in compliance with the one container limit within the first few weeks of the change.
The City recognized that some households might have unique circumstances that would make it challenging to comply with the one container limit. The presentation will discuss how the City implemented policies to help these households to adapt to the waste container limit.
In 2001, the City of Hamilton developed a solid waste management master plan geared to preserving the City’s landfill site by achieving an aggressive waste diversion target of 65% achievable through actions such as enhancing organics diversion, increasing Blue Box recycling, and pursuing additional diversion opportunities. The driving force to achieve the waste diversion goal involved progressive changes to the City’s curbside garbage container limit.
The City had made significant investments in the development of new waste diversion facilities, therefore changes were required to the garbage container limit to ensure that the Hamilton community maximized the use of these facilities and reduced the amount of waste going to landfill. By joining this eSession, the participant will see how that realization has led to the reality of a successful one container limit.
For registrations or more information, please click here.