Niagara Region is changing the price of garbage tags from $2.00 per tag to $2.50 effective Feb. 1, 2020. This is to move towards full cost recovery of garbage collection and part of our continued effort to increase the diversion of recyclable and organic materials, which are currently being placed in the garbage stream.

Each year Niagara Region staff look at the costs of garbage collection, including the costs associated with collecting and disposing of an an additional garbage bag or container. The price charged for the garbage tag is meant to cover the cost of the collection of that additional garbage bag (or container). The last time the price of the garbage tag was increased was 2012 when it went from $1.00 per tag to $2.00 per tag.

Niagara Region’s waste audit results show approximately 50 per cent of what residents put in their garbage is organic waste and 14 per cent is recyclables which could have otherwise been diverted using the Blue Box, Grey Box or Green Bin. Diverting more organics from the landfill will reduce leachate going into the land and methane into the atmosphere, and also help extend landfill capacity. Niagara Region has a target diversion rate of 65 per cent.

Residents will still be able to place the $2.00 garbage tag on any extra garbage bags (or containers) after Feb. 1, 2020, or until they run out of them. More than 100 different stores sell garbage tags on behalf of Niagara Region.

Residents can find out more about Niagara Region’s Waste and Recycling Programs online.