Clear garbage bags will soon be required in Halifax

Halifax residents will soon have to use mostly clear bags for their garbage, but a plan to reduce the number of bagshas been dropped.

People in single-dwelling homes will still be allowed up to six bags for their garbage, but at least five of those must be clear. That's a shift from the total of four bags proposed.

Keeping the status quo on the number of bags didn't sit well with one of the speakers during the public hearing Tuesday night.

"I'm quite heartbroken. Going down to four was a very tiny, inconsequential effect and there are no reasons, really, to go above that," said David Wimberley.

Council allowed a few other amendments to the proposal to change solid waste rules, including allowing people living in apartments to have four bags instead of the proposed three.

One of the those bags may be opaque for disposal of private items.

Councillors also agreed that residents shouldn't be required to use a bin liner.

Councillor David Hendsbee hopes the amendments will make the changes easier to swallow.

"I think that it's not perfect but that we're going to deal with it and work with it and hopefully the people will be able to adjust to it," he said.

The proposal passed 14 to 2.

The new rules will take effect in early April.

Several other controversial proposals for the Otter Lake Landfill are not yet ready for a public hearing. Staff and a community monitoring committee have been discussing the ideas for several months.