As residents prepare for the city of Ottawa’s new curbside garbage policy, one resident is taking matters into her own hands when it comes to the hunt for a 140-litre bin.
“I checked Amazon, I checked all the different stores out there online and in-person and we couldn’t find one,” said Shelina Cocker.
The changes come into effect Sept. 30 and residents will be allowed to put any three items on the curb, including a large garbage bag, a bulky item like a piece of furniture, or a 140 L container.
But after her search for a bin matching the city’s guidelines came up empty-handed, Cocker says she decided to start her own company.
“There is rarely anyone that actually has that bin for commercial purposes outside of their native countries, so we did find one supplier and they are willing to work with us,” said Cocker.
On Monday, Cocker launched Ottawa BinWorks and says 500 containers are on their way to the capital and will be ready by mid-November.
“We created a website and our social media presence. We have started creating ads. We are getting some response from that,” said Cocker. “We’ve had some purchases; we’ve had some pre-booking requests coming in. So, it’s picking up slowly but surely. We’re excited just to see where it goes.”
Cocker says the 140 L bins have wheels and are made of sturdy plastic to withstand the elements and cost $125 each.
“We’re offering delivery for $10 anywhere within Ottawa,” said Cocker. “There are some that are questioning the price, but I have to say, getting a bin sourced, getting it shipped, paying customs, getting it transported here, storage; I had never thought about the entire supply chain process for these types of materials, but it does take a lot.”
The city says the new changes will allow it to extend the life of its Trail Road Landfill. The new policy will be phased in at first, with garbage collectors still taking everything in October, but leaving a note behind expalning the policy if more than three items are placed at the curb. In November, one extra item will be left behind with a non-compliance note, and in December, workers will stop collecting more than three items.