Cincinnati officials will likely amend a controversial policy put in place last fall which limited most households to one container of trash per week.
Gerald Checco with Public Services said the city is not ready to implement those new waste regulations anyway. He said his department will be working on amendments. He made a presentation Monday to city council’s neighborhood committee.
The changes would let some households have more than one container as long as it can be picked up by the city's automated trash trucks.
“Provided that they do put on the curb the recycling,” Checco said. “So with an effort of recycling we are convinced that people are going to take more time thinking about what could be recycled, so that they are allowed put a second, third or fourth can.”
Checco says the new regulations are making a difference. Injuries have been reduced for public service workers, more people are recycling and about 90 percent of households are happy with one container.
Even though the regulations are in place, the city has not been actively enforcing them and in most cases is picking up whatever residents have been leaving at the curb.
Some residents have expressed frustration with only being able to place one container of trash at the curb each week. Others have complained the large containers are hard to handle in areas with hills and steps.
Environmental Quality Director Larry Falkin said it is probably time to review the waste regulation.
“There’s a lot in those revisions that is working,” Falkin said. “But there are some things that are not working. So it makes total sense six months after the major change to go back and do some fine tuning of the system”
Council would need to approve any amendments to the trash policy.
