PENTICTON – An update of the regional district’s rural curbside garbage and recycling collection service exemption policy now provides reasons for which residents can opt out of the service.

But you shouldn’t expect to find an easy excuse to opt out, as the reasons to allow such a move are limited, compared to reasons put forward for not allowing a waiver of service.

Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen solid waste coordinator Cameron Baughen says changes to the 12-year-old policy are intended to create relevant, transparent policies that are easy for the public to understand.

Baughen says when the curbside collection service first began, many residents wanted to opt out. The revised bylaw also outlines reasons put forward by the public for opting out of the service and explains why they aren’t valid.

A new section of the policy explains the few circumstances in which a resident may opt out of the curbside collection program.

They include:
– if the building being charged for garbage collection no longer meets the definition of a dwelling unit.
– adequate commercial bin service is available in places such as mobile home parks.
– if the property cannot be accessed via a maintained road.

West Bench director Michael Brydon says the new policy might be better communicated to the public in the form of a frequently asked questions handout but did not make a recommendation.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad at sarstad@infonews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.