The city is taking another shot at making recycling easier for residents by adding nine waste and recycling containers to a stretch of Laurier Avenue East in a pilot project.
It’s a streetscaping initiative that won’t cost the city anything, except some concrete needed for installation, said Mayor Jim Watson, Wednesday.
Creative Outdoor Advertising is paying for the nine sets of bins and four benches along Laurier Avenue East between Waller and Charlotte Streets.
“It’s frustrating for visitors and residents alike when they have a pop can and they have to throw it into a garbage can, when it should go into a recycling bin,” said Watson at the unveiling. “Which will not only be better for the landfill, but also bring revenue to the city.”
In August 2013, the city issued a Request For Information (RFI), while launching a similar pilot project on Elgin Street. The city monitored the success of the first pilot and conducted on-street interviews to gather feedback.
“The results from the waste audit and on-street interviews revealed successes such as an increase in capture rates and positive feedback on furniture locations and appearance,” wrote city staff in a memo to the city’s finance and economic committee on June 30, 2014.
But, the city wanted to do more research to help develop a better business model, so the mayor announced the second pilot on Laurier Avenue East and extended the contracts with Creative Outdoor Advertising to June 30, 2015 before issuing a Request for Proposal.
Environment committee chair Maria McRae said that while the Elgin Street pilot was successful, some of the waste was going into the wrong bins.
“So (with) this project you’re going to see different labels that are very clear as to what goes into which bin,” said McRae.
Watson said rolling out the same bins across the city or just in certain areas will depend on affordability.
Original article source: http://metronews.ca/news/ottawa/1105937/city-of-ottawa-launches-second-pilot-program-to-encourage-street-recycling/