User Pay Garbage Bags

Why do we use the User Pay Garbage Bag System?

The User Pay Garbage Bag system has been carefully chosen in Wellington County due to its numerous advantages over other methods such as tags, stickers, or garbage bins. Wellington County keeps user pay fees lower than other similar municipalities, as it funds waste disposal through a combination of taxation and individual fees. Here's a summary of the reasons why the User Pay Garbage Bag system is preferred:

Advantages of User Pay Garbage Bag System

Cost Incentive for Residents:
- You pay for what you produce - Residents can save money on waste disposal by making reductions at home, as opposed to paying a flat fee through taxation.
Environmental:
- There is more incentive to divert materials away from landfills, and into organics and recycling streams to keep materials out of our landfill.
- Recycling more conserves resources and reduces greenhouse gas emissions, estimated at 0.088 tonnes per person (US EPA).
- Diverting more organics reduces leachate and methane gas production in our landfill.
- Incentive to find other ways to reduce waste such as buying products in recyclable rather than disposable packaging.
Fairness
- Households pay for the amount of garbage they actually produce as opposed to paying on the assessed value of their property.
- All households across the County pay the same rate per unit (bag) of garbage.
Increased Awareness
- When we are aware of the cost of a service, we are able to make a conscious effort to reduce that cost.

Advantages of User Pay Garbage Bags

Environmental:
- Bag programmes typically reduce 40-50% of waste vs. 5-20% of waste that tag programmes reduce.
Flexibility:
- Residents can buy garbage bags as needed, catering to varying levels of waste production and providing flexibility.
Lower Administrative Costs:
- The system reduces administrative costs as residents purchase the bags directly from municipal offices or local retailers.
Efficiency in Collection:
- User pay bags are easily identifiable from the road and during inspection at waste facilities, streamlining the collection process.
Consistency and Fairness:
- The bags come in consistent sizes, ensuring fair collection.
Cost-Effectiveness:
- This system can be more affordable for residents compared to a tag or sticker system, which requires the purchase of both regular garbage bags plus the County identifier.
Security:
- There have been no known instances of counterfeit bags, ensuring the integrity of the system.
Simplicity:
- The user pay bag system is straightforward, requiring only one item for residents to purchase and use.

Disadvantages of Tags, Stickers, and Bins

Higher Costs and Lack of Incentives:
- Bin systems are expensive to implement and do not incentivize waste reduction since the cost is fixed regardless of the amount of waste produced.
Complexity and Fairness Issues:
- Tags and stickers require establishing and enforcing bag size limits, and they can be stolen, making the system less secure and more complex to manage.
Collection Efficiency:
- Tags and stickers can slow down collection times and increase costs due to difficulties in identification.
Manipulation and Counterfeiting:
- Tags and stickers are more prone to manipulation and counterfeiting, reducing the system's effectiveness.
Storage Challenges:
- Bins require storage space, which can be problematic for some households.

Disadvantages of User Pay Garbage Bags:

Despite some drawbacks, the User Pay Garbage Bag system presents a more efficient, equitable, and cost-effective solution for waste management in Wellington County. It enhances administrative efficiency, encourages waste reduction, and provides a fairer system for residents.

Purchase User Pay Bags

There are two main ways you can purchase user pay bags:

1. Purchase bags at one of our many participating local retail distributors.

View list of local distributors

View map of retailers

2. If you are unable to pick up your bags in-store, you can also purchase bags online.

Purchase bags online

Yellow user pay garbage bag filled with garbage

Feedback Welcome!

Continuous feedback from the public will help further refine and improve the waste removal process, ensuring the system remains effective and responsive to community needs and we encourage those to reach out with questions and concerns.