The Auroran
http://www.newspapers-online.com/auroran/council-needs-more-facts-before-green-lighting-clear-bags/
Export date: Thu Mar 28 9:38:05 2024 / +0000 GMT

Council needs more facts before green-lighting clear bags


What, if any, costs or savings to the taxpayer will there be if we implement the clear bag program?
For example, will there be additional collection costs charged by GFL in return for “inspecting” our garbage?
Inspecting garbage means collection will take longer. It makes sense that GFL will want to be compensated. Who will decide what constitutes a ‘sufficient' inspection? How will that be policed?
How far, exactly, is Aurora prepared to go with enforcement?
As pointed out, recycling “deniers” will still have the ability to hide items within the clear bag. How will we be able to confirm that clear bags have improved recycling habits, or not? On a windy collection day my neighbourhood is littered with blue box items that will never get to the recycling depot.
What has Aurora council done to help keep Aurora clean and push York Region to allow the use of blue recycling bags?
Is Council satisfied that the “need” for clear bags has been established? Is the Region suffering from a shortage of recyclables?
For example, according to the York Region Waste report a third, about 30,000 tons, of collected organic waste ended up going to the incinerator anyway.
Most of York Region's garbage and unused recyclables are burned in a Waste to Energy Facility either in Brampton or New York until the Durham facility opens.
Do we really need to worry about increasing our diversion rate when we can't process what we already collect?
And how do we know how much recyclable material is being disposed of in green bags? Is someone already inspecting Aurora's garbage or are we just assuming so?
Environmentally-friendly initiatives are great, when they make sense.
It makes no sense to switch to clear bags simply because other cities have, or that it “sounds like a good idea.”
We should recall that corn-based ethanol fuel was thought by many to be an environmental “win” until it turned out it really wasn't.
Hopefully Council will gather the facts and make a decision based solely on what makes sense for the taxpayers of Aurora.

Barry Hall
Aurora

Post date: 2014-02-19 17:41:51
Post date GMT: 2014-02-19 22:41:51

Post modified date: 2014-02-19 17:41:51
Post modified date GMT: 2014-02-19 22:41:51

Export date: Thu Mar 28 9:38:05 2024 / +0000 GMT
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