by Rhonda Massad
With Quebec squeezing municipalities to do better by 2020, with respect to waste management, residents in Pointe Claire have started taking their garbage to off site locations.
“With clouds of bugs hovering over my garbage bin all the time, maggots and rats, I have simply had enough of the new program,” Pointe Claire resident Gianni Rino told the Suburban, “ I actually take my garbage to an open dumpster in my area and leave it there. The city is not reducing it’s garbage it is simply moving it to another location.”
Rino says he is forced to keep his garbage bin half way down his driveway in an effort to keep the smells from entering his house,since the reduction of garbage pick up has been reduced to twice a month. After the garbage truck passes on his street, he and several neighbours resort to washing out the maggots with liquid bleach and sending the water down the sewer.
“This is the kind of behaviour the Mayor is promoting,” Rino said, “I just bought 6 bottles of bleach and I use a half a bottle every time the garbage truck comes.”
“Diapers, sanitary products, dirty cat litter or pet waste are not to be put in the green compost pick up bin and cannot be put in a home composter,” Pointe Claire city councillor, Kelly Thorstad-Cullen told The Suburban. “I suggest adding some baking soda to the container to help with odour and spray you bin with vinegar to ward off vermin.”
“Pointe Claire will be holding an open house style meeting this fall for all residents with concerns or questions on how to manage the new garbage program. There is material on the city website but I encourage all residents to contact their councillors or call me, my phone number is on the website,” she said.
An online petition against the reduction of garbage pick up can be found by clicking here
