messages to/from HRM councillors re garbage

Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 05:54:22 -0400 (AST)
From: Paul A Falvo <pfalvo@chebucto.ns.ca>
To: Sustainable Maritimes <sust-mar@chebucto.ns.ca>
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Here's a letter I sent last month to HRM councillors. I expressed my
disapointment that Council voted NOT to reduce the limit on garbage bags
that a household can put out.

Following are responses I received from Councillors Dawne Sloane, Sue
Uteck & Bob Harvey. 

~paul :)

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 24 Nov 2000 06:08:31 -0400 (AST)
From: Paul A Falvo <pfalvo@chebucto.ns.ca>
To: HRM Councillors

Dear Councillors,

I'm very disappointed to learn that you missed the opportunity -- and
dismissed the recommendations of staff -- to make a positive contribution
to the environment.

I'm referring to your recent decision to continue the household garbage
limit of 10 bags. Your decision will be very costly for HRM taxpayers, and
for our environment. 

If anyone has evidence that reducing the limit will increase illegal
dumping significantly, I'd like to see it. That argument seems akin to
saying that police should not patrol busy streets because it will
encourage lawlessness on back streets.

As an aside, my two-person household puts out one *grocery* bag of garbage
every two weeks. Anyone who is putting out even 6 garbage bags is either
tremendously wasteful, not recycling and composting, or from a huge
household (for which an exception should be made, of course).

I urge you to move forward and encourage HRM citizens to be accountable
for their actions. "User-pay" garbage collection is active in many North
American cities already. When will HRM catch up?  Environmentally
responsible citizens should not pay for those who aren't. 

Sincerely,
Paul Falvo

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 24 Nov 2000 09:22:59 -0400
From: dawnmarie  sloane <dmsloane@ns.sympatico.ca>

Paul,
I understand your concern regarding the environment as I share it too.  I
believe that this reduction would  have made a negative effect on my efforts
to educate the public first on how we as citizens can change our buying of
over packaged products or illegal dumping in our municipality.

HRM must adopt a policy that makes absentee landlords accountable for their
tenants.  If we can revise the tenancy act to include the greening process
of each of the residents, and educate the residents (homeowners),  I believe
the transition to 6 or less bags of "black" bags will become a reality.
Education then Reduction.  HRM has to make sure its residents understand the
recycling process before actually enforcing or there will be more dumping.
I walked through the district last week and reported 27 instances of illegal
dumping that included everything from blue bags, tires, a chesterfield,
fridges, and old freezer, to "black" bags  etc.
Our city has only been involved in the recycling program for a short time
and I know that we are doing well but in the graphs shown to council on
Tuesday evening showed that we are stagnate in our waste reduction.  After
discussing this issue with fellow councillors it was apparent that the
advertising of HRM lacks the real message we want to convey.  After an
effective campaign,  I am sure that we will see a decrease of both bags and
dumping.

Thank you

Councillor Dawn Sloane

P.S.  I throw out 1 large black bag a month and 7 to 10 blue bags every two
weeks.



---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 24 Nov 2000 10:46:45 -0400
From: Sue Uteck <utecks@region.halifax.ns.ca>

Paul: thank you for your comments. I voted against this at this time, as
90% of the people are complying and even better the average bag is 2.97.
We are under 6 as is! I have asked staff to iniatiate an agressive
campaign and crackdown on the offenders and to bring this back in 6
months. If the public can buy into the fact that they are already doing
it, this will not be a problem. The way it was going to be presented, it
just meant another rule or regulation for people to adhere to.

I have also asked staff to write to the Province and change the res.
tenancy act to include a provision for garbage. I would like to see each
and every tenant get a copy of the garbage regulations and have signed
leases include garbage provisions. 

When this issue was brought to us in Oct. the major rise in garbage was
Sept. and May, when the students come and go. Most are unaware of the
garbage regulations.

I don't buy the illegal dumping issue but nor do I want to appear as if we
are penalizing 90% for 10%. 

Regards,
Sue Uteck
Councillor District 13



---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 24 Nov 2000 14:01:50 -0400
From: Bob Harvey <harveyb@region.halifax.ns.ca>

I am disappointed too.  Our research shows that 90% of residents of HRM
already are at 6 bags or fewer.  Such a drop in the limit would focus on
the 10%.  Several other municipalities in N.S. are already at the 4 to 6
bag limit.  If we could divert 9 thousands tons out of the green bags/
containers it would generate a $1,000,000.  saving to the system. 



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