Torontonians began putting the garbage strike behind them as the first residential pickups resumed Tuesday morning in some areas of the city, to mixed reaction from citizens.
On the east side of Bathurst Street, near Forest Hill – where the city of Toronto’s garbage calendar meant residents there only received recycling and green bin collection – one resident raged when he came home to find only his green bin had been emptied. Five black bags sat untouched at the foot of his lawn.
"Where has the calendar been for the last six weeks?" he said. "I’ve had this stuff in my garage, stinking out the place and they’re telling me I have to wait another week. It’s ridiculous."
On Pinewood Avenue in Cedarvale, empty black garbage bins lining the lawns and upturned green bins signalled work crews had already made their stop in the area.
Donna Lewis was one of the lucky few who could finally say goodbye to her six-week garbage collection. Even the first drips of an afternoon thunderstorm couldn’t wipe the smile from her face as she tended the planters outside her front door.
"Hallelujah," she said. "I did pretty well storing my garbage, but I was just about at capacity, so the timing couldn’t have been better."
Ms. Lewis took advantage of the city’s offer of unlimited collection, filling an extra two bags and putting out a second green bin.
Back in Forest Hill, the partial pickup suited Graham Wignall just fine. He made use of temporary city dumps to dispose of household waste during the strike, but was forced to hold on to the more unpleasant organic waste.
"Our green bin was full. That’s the one they should be taking. And our recycling bin was full to the brim, so I’m glad to get rid of that," he said.
Mr. Wignall said the partial collection seemed to have confused some of his neighbours.
"I checked the calendar and saw it was recycling today, but I’ve noticed a lot of people are putting out their garbage too," he said.
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