Beaconsfield's "green patrol" is trying to sell residents on their new "pay-as-you-throw" program, and while some are open to the idea, others aren’t welcoming the possibility of paying more for their trash collection.
Starting in January, each household will have one garbage bin in a size of their choice (small, medium or large.) Each bin has a chip inside them with the owner's address.
Garbage trucks with mechanical arms will scan the chip and charge for each time it picks up a bin. The base rate covers one free pick-up every month, but anything more is extra.
“It makes you aware that potentially there is an impact. If your bin is not full, then perhaps you don't need to put it out on the curb,” said Andrew Duffield, Beaconsfield public works director.
The city estimates at most, residents will pay about $40 more than the current flat rate. Some may even save money.
Reactions to the plan are mixed – while some believe it’s fair to be charged based on the amount of garbage they produce, others aren’t pleased.
“I have three children at home and we do produce a lot of garbage, so having to pay extra considering all the taxes we already pay and all the costs already have, that's a big concern,” said one resident.
Per capita, Beaconsfield residents cart out more trash than almost anywhere else on the island.
But during the pilot project for the 'pay as you go program', they cut waste by 30 per cent.
For the city, that decrease in waste means savings on the growing cost of sending waste to landfills.
“It's very simple, we have to reduce what is going to landfill, and if we don't do this our cost is going up tremendously,” said Beaconsfield Mayor Georges Bourelle.
The city estimates it will save about $100,000 with the program next year alone, money it promises to spend on picking up green waste more often.
