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Photo by the City of Orillia, who implemented their own clear waste bag strategy in 2022.

Clear garbage bag rules go into effect March 3

Anyone with black garbage bags has just over a month to get them to the curb.

The District of Muskoka Engineering and Public Works committee will get an update on the transition to clear garbage bags during their Jan. 22 meeting.

The clear bag program is set to take effect at the curb starting the week of March 3, 2025. The program requires garbage to be set out in clear plastic bags instead of opaque black, green, or other colored plastic bags. 

According to the report, for the first four weeks of the program, there will be some flexibility. During this period, where materials were set out in opaque bags and/or contained divertible materials a reminder notice, including customer service information along with a GLAD clear garbage bag discount coupon and/or sample left at curbside units to help residents make the adjustment. After this initial period, garbage set out at the curb not in compliance with the program (e.g., set out in a black garbage bag, garbage containing unacceptable waste) will be tagged with a sticker to flag the issue and will not be collected.

For privacy, residents can place up to two small privacy bags, such as a regular sized opaque grocery bag, to hide items in their clear bag. For added privacy, residents can still place their garbage into a rigid container, so long as the waste is contained in a clear plastic bag.

All District Waste Drop-off Facilities will continue to accept opaque plastic garbage bags until January 2026. After this date, these facilities will also transition to the Clear Bag Program. 

From 2026 onwards, residents may still transport and dispose of waste in opaque garbage bags at all District Transfer Stations, but will be required to pay tipping fees for all bags at the Mixed Waste rates which is nearly double the price per tonne for sorted materials.

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One Comment

  1. Tony Grech says:

    Do the bags need to be clear in the clear bag. I throw a lot of dog poop in the garbage. I really don’t think the employees picking up the garbage need to see it