‘New' Clear Bag Program for Regular Garbage

Why change from black bags to clear bags?
The Municipality of the County of Antigonish, along with several other municipalities in the area have decided to implement a clear bag program for regular garbage in order to maximize recycling and composting and minimize the disposal of waste in landfills. Since the release of the Province's Solid Waste Management Strategy in 1996, programs have developed to capture resources from what was previously seen as waste. Food cans, beverage containers, glass jars, plastics, used paint, old tires, newspapers and food waste are all examples of such items. By capturing these materials we are able to reduce the amount of waste being sent to landfills. The Province achieved the goal of diverting 50% of the material from landfills by 2000, however since then there has been little change in overall waste diversion and in many cases the percentage has decreased. As the December 31, 2005 deadline for the implementation of second generation landfills nears, the costs associated with the disposal of regular garbage will increase. In order to maximize recycling and composting and minimize waste and disposal fees for regular garbage, the county is implementing the clear bag program.

What are second generation landfills?
The new provincial disposal standards to be implemented on December 31st, 2005 require Nova Scotians to use second generation landfills for the disposal of solid waste. Second generation landfills will be required to have in place plastic and soil liners and a piping systems to collect leachate for proper disposal at treatment facilities. Leachate is a liquid containing toxins produced within solid waste facilities as a result of water seeping through various organic materials that improperly decomposed. Leachate collects contaminated particles from the landfill material and can pollute neighbouring soil and water resources if it escapes from the landfill site.

Does Antigonish County have a second generation landfill site?
No, as of December 31st, 2005, the Municipality of County of Antigonish will be shipping all of it's solid waste to the waste disposal facility in Guysborough. The regions only second generation landfill will receive waste from Municipal units in Northern Nova Scotia and Cape Breton.

What are the costs associate with disposing of waste in second generation landfills?
Currently disposing of a tonne of waste at the Beech Hill facility is $40, as a result of the stricter environmental standards and increased technology, tipping fees and the costs associated with the disposal of regular waste will increase to roughly $65 dollars a tonne.

What is the Clear Bag Program?
As of September 2005 all items now disposed of in Green/Black/Orange bags will have to be placed in clear bags. The recycling program will continue under the same guidelines as the 2 blue bag recycling system (paper and containers) that is currently in place today, however garbage will be collected in clear garbage bags. The initial voluntary participation phase will allow residents to receive continual assistance and education based on their participation in the program. Haulers will leave notices indicating which items are properly being sorted and which ones are not. Residents are encourage to take advantage of the voluntary participation phase prior to the full compliance deadline in November, as it will help to clarify any questions or uncertainties that residents may have with the program.

What about my privacy?
Garbage collected in clear bags will allow for one solid color bag no larger than 20" by 22" (i.e. kitchen catcher size or grocery bag), that may contain bathroom waste and health related items that residents do not wish to be visible. All other waste must be visible within the clear bag.

What if I use solid colored bags under my sink (ie grocery bags), can I tie them up and throw them in?
No, residents can either use clear kitchen catcher bags and place them directly into the large clear bag when they are full or continue using solid colored bags as kitchen catcher and dump the material into clear bags before throwing the solid bag in afterward.

What happens if I don't participate?
On November 1st, 2005 solid color garbage bags will no longer be collected. Those who continue to use solid colored bags will have their bag (s) left at the curb to be emptied into a clear bag for the next collection. Clear garbage bags that contain recyclables, food waste that can be backyard composted or other provincially banned materials will also be left at the curb to be resorted for the next collection day. Bag(s) left at the curb will have a sticker indicating the reason why it has been left behind.

Recycling
It is also important to note that we want our recycling program to be 100%, meaning all the material must be clean and dry, therefore any soiled material must be placed in the 'green' cart or the regular garbage (i.e. soiled newspaper - green cart; soiled kleenex tissue - regular garbage). The benefit will go to the resident if the hauler notices banned material in the garbage so long as they are participating in the program (ie using the clear bag, composting and recycling).

Has the curbside recycling program changed?
No, recycling is still the two blue bag program. It is important that only recyclable paper be placed in the paper bag 1 and recyclable containers in bag 2. All items must be clean and dry.

Can I use a clear bag for recycling?
No, recycling bags must be blue so the collector can easily keep the recycling separate from the garbage, so garbage is not accidentally shipped to Colchester as recycling.

Does kitty litter still go in the garbage?
Yes, kitty litter does go in the regular garbage. It can be dumped into a smaller clear bag tied-off then placed in a larger clear bag or it can go directly into the larger clear bag.

Where does my Styrofoam go?
Garbage. Even though some styrofoam has a recycling sign with the number 6 on it, it is not recyclable. All styrofoam goes into the regular garbage.

What about my empty oil containers?
Empty oil containers go into the regular garbage even though they are made of plastic and have a recycling sign on the bottom. The reason is because they are hard to clean and we don't want people rinsing the container out and dumping the oil and water down the drain.

Where do I dispose of used oil?
If you change the oil in your own automotive or recreational vehicles you can return your used oil to facilities throughout the region. Under the Program, businesses that sell oil are required to either accept used oil, or must arrange with another nearby facility to take back used oil. There is no charge for this program. Products covered in this program are engine oil, hydraulic fluid, lubricating oil (engines, turbines, gears), and transmission fluid.

Do labels need to be taken off my cans and bottles?
No, you may leave the labels on any of the cans and bottles that you recycle at curbside or at the Enviro Depots.

Do I have to take the lids off my containers?
Yes, lids should be taken off all containers. This will help prevent any containers from building up pressure and bursting during pick-up, delivery, and bailing. Another reason to remove the lids is because in most cases the lids are not made from the same recycling material as the container. Containers with the lids left will take up unnecessary space in the bails.

Can all plastic containers be recycled?
Only plastic containers with the number #1 through #7 can be recycled at our processing facility. To find the number, check the bottom of the container for the recycling symbol with a number inside. If you do not see the recycling symbol, it is not recyclable and may be placed in the regular garbage.

Can all my recyclables be placed in the same bag?
Recyclables must be placed in two separate transparent 'blue' bags. Bag #1 should contain paper products only as indicated at the top of this page. Bag #2 should contain all other recyclables as indicated at the top of this page.

Can I recycle all plastic bags?
Like plastic containers, only those bags with the number #4 can be recycled at our processing facility. To find the number on the plastic bags, look for the recycling symbol with the number inside. Examples of recyclable bags are; grocery bags, bread bags, and frozen food bags. Also pallet wrap can be recycled but will not have a recycling symbol or number.

Can I recycle paper with plastic liners or windows, and where do milk and juice cartons go?
Windows do not have to be removed from envelopes. The plastic liners in Kleenex boxes do not have to be removed. Milk and juice cartons are recycled in Bag #2 and not with the paper products.

Backyard Composting

What is Compost?
Composting is the natural breakdown of organic materials by living organisms (including bacteria, fungi, worms and small insects). Any material from a living source - plant or animal - is called "organic". The end product is a dark, earthy, soil-like substance called compost. In nature, the breakdown of organic materials occurs all around us. For example, the fertile dark earth on the forest floor is a mature form of compost call humus produced mostly from decomposed leaves.

Do I have to backyard compost?
Yes, it is provincial regulation that food, leaf and yard waste not be landfilled. Therefore, businesses must set up a composting program and residents are required to backyard compost all fruit and vegetable scraps, tea bags, coffee grinds and filters and any soiled paper that hasn't been in contact with meats, fish, butter or oils. See the preceding questions for examples of items that can and can't be backyard composted. Meat, fish, bones, dairy products, fats and all other foods mixed with these items can be put in the regular garbage. It is important to always cover food waste with a dry material from your yard waste such as leaves, twigs, sawdust or shredded paper. (Note: In October the County of Antigonish will be implementing a curbside collection program for all organics including meat, fish and bones. We are still encouraging backyard composting, however all organics will be collected at the curb).

How to Compost?
Backyard composting can be done in commercial bins, home-made bins, or simple open piles. Enclosed bins have advantages over open piles in terms of containing the material, controlling the process, and minimizing pest problems.

What goes in to the Backyard Compost?
All composting "ingredients" generally fall under one of two categories - "browns" or "greens". "Browns" are dry, carbon-rich organic materials which include dry leaves, straw/hay, wood chips, sawdust, napkins, dryer lint, and shredded newspaper. "Greens" are fresh, moist, nitrogen-rich materials which include grass cuttings, fruit and vegetable peelings/scraps, tea bags, pasta, coffee grounds/filter, stale bread and eggshells.

Do not place the following in your backyard composter:
Meat, fish, bones, fats and oils, dairy products, weeds that have gone to seed, pet manure and kitty litter.

Where do I start?
The composter should ideally be located in a shady or partially shaded site, convenient to the house. Place a layer (15 cm) of brown material and a handful of soil in your composter. Alternate layers of green and brown material in your composter. Always cover kitchen waste with brown material. It's a good idea to stockpile bags of leaves or other brown material in the fall, for this purpose. Add water as needed - the pile should stay moist, but not wet. If your pile is too wet, adding browns will solve the problem. Once the pile is about a meter high, either turn the pile every two weeks (for faster composting), or simply poke a few holes into the centre of the pile (for slower composting). Keep adding to the pile, always covering your green material with a layer of brown. It's that Easy!

What can I do with the finished product?
Compost is an excellent all-purpose soil amendment, improving fertility, structure, aeration, and moisture-holding capacity of the soil. Adding compost to your garden helps your flowers and vegetables by supplying needed nutrients and by conditioning the soil.

Add compost to the garden by mixing it into the top 6" of soil. Use it around trees, shrubs, vegetables and flowers. Compost can be used as an ingredient (about one third compost by volume) in potting and transplant mixes. Screened compost can be spread over lawns. Compost is most effectively incorporated into the soil following core aeration of the lawn.

What is curbside collection of organics?
Curbside collection is a program developed by the municipality to collect residential organics. Residents place organic material that can not be backyard composted into green bins carts at the curb or wherever they currently place their garbage. This green bin is collected weekly on the same day as your regular garbage.

What goes in your curbside organic cart (green bin)?
Food Waste: fruit and vegetable peelings, table scraps, meat, chicken, fish, shellfish including shells, dairy products, cheese, cooking oil, grease, fat, bread, rice, pasta, bones, egg shells, coffee grounds and filters, tea leaves and bags (NO animal waste, sanitary products, ashes, cigarette butts, hot drink cups).

Yard Waste: grass, leaves, brush, house and garden waste, sawdust, wood shavings.

Soiled and Non-recyclable Paper: used food napkins, paper towels, pizza boxes, fast food wrappers, wax paper (no milk or juice cartons), file folders, yellow manila envelopes, paper plates and cups, damp and soiled newspapers and flyers, sugar, flour, and potato bags.

What DOESN'T go in your cart?
plastic bags and containers; wood ashes; painted and treated wood; metal; glass; styrofoam; paper coffee cups (they are lined with plastic); animal waste; diapers or sanitary products.

Where should you keep your cart?
Your cart should be stored outside in a convenient location so you can easily empty your household container as required and can get your cart to roadside on collection day. Once emptied your cart should be returned to a safe storage location.

What happens to your organic waste?
Organic waste from your cart will be picked up by your municipal collector, delivered to a composting facility and turned into a valuable natural product.

How often should I put out my green cart?
It is recommended that you put your cart out every collection day to minimize potential odour and pest problems. Your cart does not need to be full to be put out for collection.

Can plastics go in?
Please do NOT use plastic bags in your kitchen bin or green cart. Plastic is not compostable and will contaminate the compost.

Helpful Hints:
Line your kitchen bin to absorb moisture and help keep it clean. Ball up sheets of newspaper and place them in the cart on top of the grate (it will absorb moisture, help keep the container clean, and help avoid freezing) Rinse your kitchen bin after you empty it into your cart. Rinse your cart periodically with your garden hose. Spray vinegar around the vents and lid of your cart to reduce odours. Drain off excess liquids from soups and stews.

What CAN be used to line your kitchen bin?
Newspaper (one or two sheets), empty cereal boxes, etc., boxboard liners, compostable paper bags, or "compostable" starch bags.

How do I get more information on the ‘New' Clear Bag Program, Recycling and Composting?
For further information on the clear bag program or any other recycling or composting concerns please contact us at (902) 863-1117.

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