There is no exemption in place or planned for the use of clear bags for garbage.

Non-see through bags inside a clear bag is only acceptable as your one privacy bag per week.

For clear bags, if smaller bags are put inside a larger bag, all the bags must be clear.

This includes kitchen and bathroom waste bins: if you remove kitchen catchers or small bags from bathroom bins to put it in a larger clear bag, the kitchen-catchers and small bags must also be clear – unless it is your one privacy bag per week.

If you do not use clear bags in kitchen or bathroom bins, those can be combined as your one privacy bag per week or you can dump the contents of the small bins into a clear bag.

We anticipate some residents may need a period of adjustment to get used to buying and using clear bags for garbage.

We aim to take a ‘soft’ approach to give everyone time to purchase and start using clear bags for garbage.

At some point, the City will transition to a ‘hard’ launch where your garbage will not be collected if we identify clear bags are not being used. The City will give notice as to when the hard launch will start.

The colour of the bag is important, not what the package the bags came in says.

Beginning in January 2022 waste put at the curb each week in St. John’s must be in:

Clear bags (colourless, see-through) for garbage: up to 4 regular size bags (3 with privacy bag)

Opaque bag (not see-through) for privacy garbage: maximum 1 regular size bag

Blue bags (blue see-through) for recycling: unlimited number

Paper yard waste bags for yard waste: unlimited number

When clear bags for garbage begins in January 2022, up to one ‘privacy’ bag per week is allowed at the curb (or in the garbage cart).

You can continue to use your black (white, green, not see through) bags as your one privacy bag per week.

Pick-up times may vary due to weather, equipment problems, staffing, etc.

There is no guarantee that the collection truck will be by at the same time every week.

Garbage must be placed at the curb in front of your property no earlier than 6 a.m. and not later than 8 a.m., on your scheduled waste collection day.

If you miss your collection day you can hold onto your garbage until your next garbage collection day.

Garbage can also be brought to the Residential Drop-Off. Learn More Here.