Residential Garbage Pick-up Hamilton - Page 2

FairHamilton · #21 Posted **Jul 30, 2009, 3:19 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mic67

As you have said that moving from TO to Ham. that it would have to be a south address...there is a reason for that,,,, and yet you are in the worst north south zone in ham.---- the driveby ward.---your words and many others too.

The opinion of one, does not make reality.

SteelTown · #22 Posted **Jul 30, 2009, 3:20 AM**

Retard is an offensive term which is an unacceptable language. You should know, before signing up as a member you should have understood the rules.

ryan_mcgreal · #23 Posted **Jul 30, 2009, 3:25 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mic67

If a house, either reg. or from time to time has more than 1 bag of rubbish, what to do?

The city will accept a second garbage bag as long as it's clear to collectors can see if it contains recyclable or compostable materials.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mic67

WTF you got more garbage than the 1 bag per address, that does not change.

Nonsense. I live in a family of four with two cats and a hamster, and we produce about a grocery bag of garbage per week. I can't even imagine how it would be possible to produce more than a garbage bag in a week, assuming you pay a reasonable amount of attention to separating recycling and compostables.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mic67

Like I said Hamiltonians like their garbage, enough to keep it around, on their streets, in their front yards and in their public receptacles.

Garden variety exceptionalism. Hamiltonians are not materially different from people anywhere else on earth - we're certainly not subject to special 'Hamilton only' rules of human behaviour.

When City Council was considering its one-bag (er, make that two-bag) policy, I recommended simply cutting garbage collection to once every two weeks - with recycling and green bin collection still coming every week. Other municipalities that have done this have had remarkable success at diverting waste without having to impose punitive sanctions.

SteelTown · #24 Posted **Jul 30, 2009, 3:31 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ryan_mcgreal

When City Council was considering its one-bag (er, make that two-bag) policy, I recommended simply cutting garbage collection to once every two weeks - with recycling and green bin collection still coming every week. Other municipalities that have done this have had remarkable success at diverting waste without having to impose punitive sanctions.

Did you look to see if these cities garbage collectors are private or city employees? Because cutting garbage pick up for every 2 weeks instead of once a week I imagine would be difficult to do with unionized garbage collectors, you'll be cutting their hours.

mic67 · #25 Posted **Jul 30, 2009, 3:47 AM**

FairHamilton your commitment to hamilton extents only to the extent of your financial investment. As I seriously dought it existed before that when you were a resident of TO.

Neighbourhood Association

Yep I attended one, was bewildered, saw special interests, was seriously disappointed...much of what ought to be expected in Hamilton.

Humm... as I recall provincial support for grandparents care of grandkids, yep good thing, ought to be supported....bicycle lanes yep,,,refer them to this site.,,,,

From what I have seen the BIA's do much more and better than any other Association.

Art Crawl.....well I think the author of Huck Finn said " I wouldnt want to belong to a club that would have me as a member." Good enough for me.

"SteelTown Retard is an offensive term which is an unacceptable language. You should know, before signing up as a member you should have understood the rules."

Nowhere has that word been expressly determined an offensive word, nor would I expect that it would be in any legitimate forum.

What I dont understand is that society fails to seek cure for the 2 things that people expire from the most:
Stupidity and lies - and not necessarily their own.

Mic67

mic67 · #26 Posted **Jul 30, 2009, 4:00 AM**

ryan_mcgreal
Nonsense. I live in a family of four with two cats and a hamster, and we produce about a grocery bag of garbage per week. I can't even imagine how it would be possible to produce more than a garbage bag in a week, assuming you pay a reasonable amount of attention to separating recycling and compostables."

Great then why is there so much garbage all over Hamilton,particularly the lower city? the only reason I can think of ...geee they must love it, do any of you guy take regular walks around the city, look at the lane ways....???
---------------------

SteelTown

Did you look to see if these cities garbage collectors are private or city employees? Because cutting garbage pick up for every 2 weeks instead of once a week I imagine would be difficult to do with unionized garbage collectors, you'll be cutting their hours.

Huhhh??? Ok it has been 1 1/2 years since living in TO but wasnt rubbish every 2 weeks at residential houses? Or was that recycling? I cant recall.... And they are Union!

Basically I am kind of fed up with all the garbage in Hamilton, it is or ought to be a simple thing both on the citys part and residents part. If the city does not facilitate the disposal, what are residents to do,,,,oh...live in it!!!!

mic67 · #27 Posted **Jul 30, 2009, 4:16 AM**

Ok ....well you may find this hard to believe.....believe what you want but the other day I was at a bus stop on barton st - going to Lowes and there was so much garbage on the street that I walked to the next stop to avoid it. On my way back and again today the public bins had residential green bag stuffed in them... and in many other instances these same public bins are more than over flowing....what city do you live in?

I guess I am just not use to it, and I hope not to be.

Oh the rubbish truck passed by and on my way to the grocery store there are green bags left behind, either they will stay there or find their way to an alley or public bin or spread all over the street to share the love......

mic67

vid · #28 Posted **Jul 30, 2009, 5:58 AM**

Here you just put three things out every week. (That is, 156 bags per house per year; recycling is bi-weekly because it is privately contracted and they're lazy but you can put out as much of that as you want.) They were going to limit it to two but an old man flipped out about it, and it scared the city council into leaving it at three. It takes my household almost two months to produce three bags of garbage.

When you go over the limit here, they take it and then send a bill. And, even with the three bag allowance here, back alleys have a lot of garbage, even bags from people's homes since apartment buildings here don't get city garbage service unless they build a shed and request it, and in some cases a bag gets separated from its pile and is missed by garbage crews.

As you can understand I find this unnecessarily complex. But I think Guelph's system is even more complex and it seems to work there, so why not other cities?

Reading mic67's posts are somewhat comforting. It's nice to see that Thunder Bay isn't the only city with people like him, so I know what you guys are dealing with. It must be frustrating not being able to discuss things in an intelligent and mature tone, or to be unable to handle changes.

bigguy1231 · #29 Posted **Jul 30, 2009, 7:13 AM**

In Burlington, they get garbage collection every 2 weeks and are allowed 1 bag. I was told about this when I asked some of the guys at work why they were bringing their garbage to work to put in our bin there. They said it's either bring it to work or dump it on the side of the road and you see alot of that in Burlington, now I know why.

I agree with mic67 on this one, limits are just plain dumb. We live in the second largest country on earth with a very sparse population, we should be able to find a place to put our garbage. I know I no longer pick up garbage off the street and put it in my can like I used to. My street abuts a large retail area and on windy days all of the garbage from their parking lot ends up on my street. We used to clean it up, but now we call the city to do it. If they don't send anyone, which is more often than not, we pick it up and stuff it in the storm sewers. When we call to tell them the sewers plugged they clean it right away.

What proponents of limits fail to realize is that for every action there is a reaction. In this case we are going to see a much dirtier city. The limit we do have doesn't really effect me, since there is only 2 of us in the household and we rarely have more than half a small garbage can. But those with larger families are going to find it hard to manage. I commend anyone with a larger family who can cope with the limits but the reality is most people have better things to do with their time than trying to manage their garbage.

I pay over $5000 a year in taxes, I expect something in return. I can't blame my councillor because he voted against the limits, so he will get my vote again the next election. But I can assure you that come next election this will be an issue, and some of this forums favorite councillors will lose because of this issue. It is a hot topic amongst the people I know and some who haven't voted in years will, come the next election, just because of this issue.

FairHamilton · #30 Posted **Jul 30, 2009, 10:13 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mic67

FairHamilton your commitment to hamilton extents only to the extent of your financial investment. As I seriously dought it existed before that when you were a resident of TO.

You've got some nerve, and you obviously don't know me at all. How would you, your involvement to the forum is restricted to your keyboard.

As for my investment in Hamilton, I'll have you know we purchased our house for shelter, and enjoyment. Never was there a consideration for capital appreciation. We have no plan to sell, we've discussed dying in this house so who cares it's value at that time. Not us.

When I was in Toronto my commitment was to my neighbourhood in Toronto. Why would I have a commitment to another city? Just like I've never had a commitment to Saskatoon, Sudbury, Halifax or any other town that I don't live in.

And I knew you wouldn't want to meet face-to-face at the next Art Crawl, that was really no surprise. The easiest thing is to sit at a keyboard.
With that I sign off on this conversation.

flar · #31 Posted **Jul 30, 2009, 11:12 AM**

mic67, if your interest is calling out the "fuckwads" of society, I'm not sure why you've come to this forum to do it. It seems to me that most of the participants here care about Hamilton, are aware of its problems, and are interested in encouraging any good things happening that will make the city better. You, on the other hand, seem to support the status quo, the negative "can't" attitude that's all too common in Hamilton and a big reason why the city can't turn itself around. You say you seek diversity and truth, yet approach the issues from a position of ignorance and belligerence and show no desire to learn or change your mind when it's clear that others are more knowledgeable about certain subjects than yourself.

Your participation here is not discouraged because anyone disagrees with you, it's because your rambling, disjointed posts all too often display the kind of ignorant "common sense" "this is how it really is" opinions that are a dime a dozen in Hamilton and add nothing of value to the forum. If you don't like the "glee club" here, no one is forcing you to participate.

mic67 · #32 Posted **Jul 30, 2009, 1:20 PM**

FairHamilton "your involvement to the forum is restricted to your keyboard."

Really? I don't think so, I have TOFTT on reviewing venues, I share the knowledge and research that I do. Which I consider of immense value to anyone considering Hamilton, but I will not and shall not shill for this city or any other.

I was up to 2 bags of garbage (by weight) from my hood per week, and that is 2 more than many if not most contribute in their lifetime.

A city does not get better when only good things are said about it.

"FairHamilton
Registered User Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,524

Quote:Originally Posted by mic67
I have and have not given up on the potential of Hamilton.....mic67

Then two words, buh-bye. To me, you seem done."

Hey I'm just getting started.....lol

Humm BigGuy wasn't interested in the art crawl either.

Now if you wish or organize the forum members and get a vehicle from the city with dumping privileges to do a lower city clean up, I would gladly participate either financially or labour wise. Wait a minute dont we already pay for this?

---------
Flar
As far as the word "retard(ed)" goes that could not be further from being a curse word. Yep I did slip a profanity in there, as a kind of test, and it seems I reeled one in on that... you can remove the hook any time, I did....

The status quo is shilling for a city, which seems to be the purpose of this forum.
"yet approach the issues from a position of ignorance and belligerence and show no desire to learn or change your mind when it's clear that others are more knowledgeable about certain subjects than yourself."

Ok...like for example????

"it's because your rambling, disjointed posts all too often display the kind of ignorant "common sense" "this is how it really is" opinions"

Well if this is the way that you felt about my contributions to this forum, why the heck didnt you say something long ago? The answer says plenty.

You can only learn from those who have knowledge and not just attitude.

There seems to be very few long time residents of Hamilton on this board or who voice here. Why is that? I am out there asking, listening to all sorts of people, many of them life long Hamiltonians, I tend to agree with them on most of their observations and opinions.

Hey it is the well state policy of this city that resolution of issues is "complaint driven" - property standards, dogs, noise, garbage.

But be warned don't do that in THIS forum it will ruin the clubs charter.

Common sense...one neighbors hedges cover 1/2 the sidewalk, if that goes unresolved the sidewalk will be unusable - isnt that common sense?

Another neighbors dog barks enough to disturb all the neighbors - is that common sense.

There are bylaws that cover these issues, but who cares?

Nawh just another day in the Hammer.

mic67

omro · #33 Posted **Jul 30, 2009, 2:32 PM**

I'm really surprised by this conversation. Since I've been here, one of my "fun tasks" is to help with the rubbish night.

I live in a household of three adults and one child and three cats who don't go out (thereby only use cat litter).

Our weekly waste nearly always is just one black bag and recycling bags/boxes and green waste. The black bags come in varying sizes in the supermarket and sometimes we use a smaller bag, sometimes we use the bigger one and never once has the bag not been taken. We've yet to use a clear bag, though we have a box of them "just in case".

As for the rubbish around parts of Hamilton, can I point out the possible reasons for it?

Firstly, people seem to be uneducated about the system. It's been mentioned here that there is a belief that the one bag limit is in effect, however it definitely isn't.

Secondly, people are actually a pretty lazy entity most of the time.
- They don't take the time to find out things (such as the above limits) and take things on face value based on hearsay.
- They don't take the time to work out what is recycleable by the city and what isn't.
- They don't store any excess rubbish from one week to the next, to even out the heavier and light weeks.

I haven't spent a vast amount of time wandering around Hamilton looking for rubbish being dumped, so I could easily be very wrong here, but most rubbish items that I see lying around are items which could be recycled.

I must admit I'm not 100% clear on whether or not the city will take all plastics, so I will ask here if anyone can give me any pointers. In particular I'm curious about things such as plastic bags, milk bags, the plastic bags you get bread and bagels in, the inner bags for cereal boxes, the plastic wrap certain food items come shrink wrapped in or the film lids to meat trays, etc. oh... and straws.... kids seem to be obsessed with straws. I'm personally tempted to put them all together in a recycling bag and see if they'll take them.

And in response to meeting people off the forum. Meeting up from the forum has nothing to do with establishing any form of "club". For me it's been a purely social invitation to put faces and names to online personas, to make friends and have a laugh. I have met people from the forum both at the Art Crawl get togethers and not. I've met some people one on one. I would still like to meet more people, be it one on one or at these group get togethers. So far I've met some absolutely AMAZING people thanks to this forum and felt more connected and welcome as a result.

You have nothing to fear from turning up and meeting people, you won't get verbally or physically abused for your on forum opinions. Infact forum related topics are over very quickly followed by good social merrymaking :-) Please everyone on the forum, come along and just say hi at the next meet up.

oldcoote · #34 Posted **Jul 30, 2009, 2:52 PM**

Family of 5 + a dog, and we produce 1 kitchen catcher of garbage a week.
Would be less if the green bins accepted dog waste.

mic has a point though. The city is dirty. But it's been this way ever since I moved here in 2001. You really notice it as a dog walker. She's is always picking up apple cores, banana peels, used napkins, etc. (mostly green bin stuff)

A lot of people are lazy when to comes to disposing garbage, but I also notice the garbage collectors don't exactly go the extra mile . If they drop something, consider it litter. Funny how the city campaigns against litter, but there own employees are some of the worst.

My biggest pet peeve? Cigarette butts.

oldcoote · #35 Posted **Jul 30, 2009, 2:58 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by omro

I'm really surprised by this conversation. Since I've been here, one of my "fun tasks" is to help with the rubbish night.

I live in a household of three adults and one child and three cats who don't go out (thereby only use cat litter).

Our weekly waste nearly always is just one black bag and recycling bags/boxes and green waste. The black bags come in varying sizes in the supermarket and sometimes we use a smaller bag, sometimes we use the bigger one and never once has the bag not been taken. We've yet to use a clear bag, though we have a box of them "just in case".

As for the rubbish around parts of Hamilton, can I point out the possible reasons for it?

Firstly, people seem to be uneducated about the system. It's been mentioned here that there is a belief that the one bag limit is in effect, however it definitely isn't.

Secondly, people are actually a pretty lazy entity most of the time.
- They don't take the time to find out things (such as the above limits) and take things on face value based on hearsay.
- They don't take the time to work out what is recycleable by the city and what isn't.
- They don't store any excess rubbish from one week to the next, to even out the heavier and light weeks.

I haven't spent a vast amount of time wandering around Hamilton looking for rubbish being dumped, so I could easily be very wrong here, but most rubbish items that I see lying around are items which could be recycled.

I must admit I'm not 100% clear on whether or not the city will take all plastics, so I will ask here if anyone can give me any pointers. In particular I'm curious about things such as plastic bags, milk bags, the plastic bags you get bread and bagels in, the inner bags for cereal boxes, the plastic wrap certain food items come shrink wrapped in or the film lids to meat trays, etc. oh... and straws.... kids seem to be obsessed with straws. I'm personally tempted to put them all together in a recycling bag and see if they'll take them.

Hi Omro

Straws are not recyclable.

Strangely, neither are coffee cups.

http://www.myhamilton.ca/myhamilton/...steManagement/

mic67 · #36 Posted **Jul 30, 2009, 3:13 PM**

Omro...cool a voice of calm and reason...and well thought out.

The fact is not how much rubish is created, it exists, deal with it - or the effects of it. Why is that so hard to understand?

I am feedup with the simple things that "trash" this city.

Nothing says ghetto more than garbage and graffiti, it is pretty clear to me that residents of Hamilton have little problem with it.

A bag of rubbish is easer and less costly to resolve than to pick up every piece of it all over this city. How come nobody has figured that out...yet.

I have never seen a clear bag of garbage and not just locally. Really the purpose of the clear bag for the 2nd one was to assure that no recyclables were there....brilliant....throw the recyclables in the green bag and the garbage in the clear...a relative pointed that out. So the clear bag concept is, and always was, ill conceived.

Soon it will be 1 bag period, so it is a moot point. It is amazing how 2 bags will be reduced to 1. People move, garbage is created by/from many reasons.

"Secondly, people are actually a pretty lazy entity most of the time.'

That is first and foremost.

"I must admit I'm not 100% clear on whether or not the city will take all plastics"

It is all listed in the trash calendar or go the the website.

Meetup outside the forum is great and cool, but some are just not into it.

I care and I am displeased that, regardless of my efforts I have to live in/with other peoples garbage in MY CITY.

One major and significant litter contribution is recycling, yep ...hint windy days and over filled - open top blue boxes. And then when they dont take it on the recycle day, there is less to collect from the boxes cause its mostly all over the streets. Me I use a clear plastic bag that I put out 1 per month.

Mic67

markbarbera · #37 Posted **Jul 30, 2009, 4:00 PM**

Wow, this thread has really gotten nasty fast. So much belligerence and sanctimonial browbeating all around last night! Seems a bit more civil today.

Personally, I have no problem meeting the trash limit - but I live in a household of two that has been in the recycling mindset for many years. We generate a grocery bag worth of garbage monthly, and have been like that for quite some time prior to this new city policy.

I think there's a huge learning curve for those who haven't been recycling to be suddenly forced into this practice. Perhaps the push should have been done years ago. Regardless, there's bound to be grumbling at the onset of this policy (and more when full enforement is in place next year), but once once our habits are adjusted to the new reality, life will go on.

I can speak from anecdotal observations alone (as do we all), but I see no evidence of an upswing in illegal dumping in the city since the new policy was adopted. But maybe it got swept away with the floodwaters last weekend.

SteelTown · #38 Posted **Jul 31, 2009, 1:00 PM**

If you want to be productive you could collect the trash and take it out the curb since the City won't have limits for this week and next week.

Extra garbage pickup underway
Limit waived for flood victims

By staff
News
http://www.hamiltonmountainnews.com/news/article/183540

Extra crews are on the streets today to help collect extra waste resulting from last Sunday's flooding.

The city has dropped the one-plus-one garbage bag limit for the next two weeks for residents affected by flooding from the deluge.

The limit will be dropped only in areas hit by flooding. Quantity limits will not be waived in any area other than those impacted by flooding, a city spokesman said.

adam · #39 Posted **Jul 31, 2009, 1:25 PM**

Last year I found out that the city recycles styrofoam so you can put it directly into your blue bin. I also recently found out that although you can put plastic water bottles in the blue bin, they can't be recycled into other water bottles. Can anyone verify this?

adam · #40 Posted **Jul 31, 2009, 1:48 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigguy1231

In Burlington, they get garbage collection every 2 weeks and are allowed 1 bag. They said it's either bring it to work or dump it on the side of the road and you see alot of that in Burlington, now I know why.

I am in Burlington every day and have never seen garbage left at the side of the road. What street are you talking about?