By Kevin Werner, News Staff

Hamilton councillors have dumped the idea of bi-weekly waste collection, and instead endorsed the current one-bag, weekly curbside pickup system, while allowing residents to use bag tags.

“It’s a traditional split vote,” said Stoney Creek councillor Brad Clark, who joined 11 other colleagues to approve the recommendation during a special government issues committee meeting Feb. 21. “The residents in my ward did not support bi-weekly collection.”

City staff had endorsed a bi-weekly collection system that had a three-container limit, which was expected to save about $3.6 million, and increase the city’s waste diversion rate from 49 per cent to 55 per cent. There would still be weekly green cart and blue box recycling.

But most councillors in a 12 to 3 vote, especially the politicians from the mountain, rejected the idea, arguing it would only increase the illegal dumping problems that have manifested over the last two years. They insisted their residents would see a bi-weekly service as a service reduction. Mayor Bob Bratina was absent from the nearly five-hour discussion.

Instead, in a deal that was brokered by Dundas councillor Russ Powers, and Ward 5 councillor Chad Collins, the status quo will remain, but with an additional 26 free bag tags for homeowners  to put on any additional containers. In addition, said Mountain councillor Terry Whitehead, the 12 amnesty days, which councillors created last month will be eliminated once the new seven-year contract begins April 1, 2013.

The tag system will add about $1.4 million to the current cost of the waste system.

Still, under council’s preferred waste collection system, there will be a savings of about $1.3 million per year.

Ancaster councillor Lloyd Ferguson followed the wishes of his community council and voted against the proposal. He said members of his local committee wanted the $3.6 million extra savings, and the larger diversion rate.

“It would still help with the illegal dumping,” he said.

Also opposed to council’s solution were councillors Brenda Johnson and Brian McHattie.

The city’s environment community also urged the public to pressure councillors into accepting a bi-weekly collection system. They wanted Hamiltonto adopt a “two bags every two weeks” system to improve Hamilton’s diversion rate.

Clark, who said he voted in support of the compromise solution reluctantly, remained unconvinced the illegal dumping was caused by the city adopting a one-container limit in 2010.

He said despite the mountain councillors’ arguments that residents were throwing their waste into the Niagara Escarpment because of the high costs of the recycling centres, and the one-bag limit, it was the large industrial businesses and retailers who were tossing their junk into neighbourhoods to save money.

Councillors supported Clark’s amendment to the motion to review the waste collection system in 2014.

Whitehead, though, said the “dark secret” of the entire waste collection discussion was the high number of residents throwing their household waste into businesses and residential bins.

“People say we are going backwards,” he said. “I’ve never believed we’ve had a 97 per cent compliance rate. People are throwing their waste into townhouse bins. No one wants to talk about illegal dumping.”

Whitehead said the enhanced collection system will mean a higher diversion rate for the city.

Politicians are scheduled to vote on the government issues committee recommendation at their Feb. 22 council meeting.