Cornwall switching to clear garbage bags, despite privacy worries

City council in Cornwall, Ont., hasgreenlighted a switch to clear plastic garbage bags, despite worries from some residents about privacy.

Earlier this month, councillors voted for the new bagsto complement the provincially mandatedlaunch of agreen bin system for food waste.

Both changes will take effect in early 2025.

Cornwall is trying to improve itswaste diversion rate 36 per cent as of October, which islow compared to other Ontario municipalities in order to preserve the life of its aging landfill.

City officials recommendeda clear plastic bag system,instead of other options including a pay-as-you-throw regime, as itpromotes mandatory recycling of blue box materialand can be enforced"with no additional resources and minimal behavioural changes."

"In this manner, collection staff can visually inspect the waste contents. Clear bags or garbage cans containing more than 10per cent of recyclables and/or organics would not be collected,"said thereport by city staff.

"Simply put, the only difference is the colour of the garbage bag."

But in an online survey, 1,333 of the 1,789 returned forms cited concerns that intimate or sensitive material financial documents, sanitary products and other personal items could be out for all to see.

The amount of feedback was "huge" for a city like Cornwall, saidCoun.Carilyne Hbert.

"It's likely the issue I've seen the most negativity about across the community in the nine years that I've been on council,"Hbertsaid before the vote.

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Most councillors supported the switch, however, with some pointing out that residents will be allowed two smaller opaque bags insidetheir clear bags to mask private items.

"I understand the privacy concerns. I do," said Mayor Justin Towndale. "Personally, I don't care what's in people's garbage. I don't care if people see what's in my garbage. Have at it."

As the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario pointed out to CBC,a 2009 Supreme Court of Canada decisionheldthat residents donot have "a reasonable expectation ofprivacy"in items taken from theirgarbage.

Peterborough, Ont.,made a similar move to clear bags and green bins last October and has seen its waste diversion rate skyrocket, according to Lesley Parnell, a city councillor there.

The diversion rate went from 53 per cent pre-launch to over 90 per cent now, she said.

People do become much more transparent, no pun intended.- Coun. Lesley Parnell

"When you have a clear bag people do become much more transparent, no pun intended because we can see what is in there," Parnell said.

Peterborough heard the same privacy concerns as Cornwall, she said, but now"the complaints I get are from condo owners who are not yet part of [the green bin system]."

"People should not be putting any personal information in the garbage anyway," Parnell added."That should be shredded."

Concurrent increase to bag limit 'counterproductive'

Cornwall residents are currently allowed two garbage bags at the curb. Additional bags require a $1.50 bag tag.

Councillors also voted to up the number of allowed bags to four, though that proved more divisive.Hbertcalled the move "counterproductive"and three other councillorsalso voted against theincrease.

"We're told 14 per centof our residential homes don't recycle, but we're going to increase their bag limit to four and they can get creative in hiding their recycling," Hbert said.

Coun. Sarah Good countered that the increase offers"wiggle room" for "people who are facing circumstances that are difficult."

Garbage collectors will monitor what's in people's clearbags, according to the staff report. If they find improperly prepared waste, the city's waste management department will first educate the owners.

"Following an allotment of time to remedy any issues," the city will hire a thirdparty to collect waste abandoned at the curb "due to non-compliance," the report said.

The owner will then be billed to cover the costs, it said.