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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Wednesday, April 3, 2013 | 6 Editorial Taking recycling to heart Starting Monday, Halton residents are now allowed to add more items to their blue boxes -- we say boxes because most families need more than one -- and must use special tags if they are over the new threebag/can limit. To help residents transition to the new limit, complimentary garbage tags are now available. The tags, though, can only be used until the start of September. Beginning Sept. 9, garbage tags will cost $2 each and can only be purchased in sheets of ve at a cost of $10 per sheet. For most individuals the new rules will not affect them -- perhaps they won't even give it much thought. However, there will be some folks who think because they pay for trash collection in their taxes they can put out as much garbage as they please. These are the same people who stuff public garbage cans with as much trash as possible or, worse, just dump waste along the roadside. There is concern, too, that people who refuse to recycle will leave their garbage outside townhouse complexes or even random homes in the neighbourhood. It seems unfathomable there are residents who would resort to such tactics, but unfortunately every community has them. We have our ngers crossed that the majority of Oakvillians will continue to do their part to reduce waste here. Halton Regional Chair Gary Carr is quick to note the region's residents, "continue to be the best in the province when it comes to participating in waste diversion programs...." To help families get adjusted to the three-bag limit every other week, the Region is allowing more items to be added to the blue box, including clear plastic clamshells (berry and lettuce containers are an example of that), single-serve yogurt cups and, in time for spring, plastic plant pots and trays. "The new blue box items, continued participation in the GreenCart program, and the decreased garbage limit will keep waste out of the land ll and help conserve this very valuable resource. "Extending the life of the land ll (for) four more years will provide a savings of $15 million for taxpayers," said Carr. But in addition to those savings for taxpayers, residents can take heart in knowing that by recycling and composting, they are helping the environment and that can't be measured in dollars. · · · Unsure how this new garbage system works? Visit www.halton.ca/garbagetags for more information. "Connected to your Community" 467 Speers Road, Oakville ON, L6K 3S4 General Inquiries: (905) 845-3824 Editorial Department: (905) 632-0588 Fax: (905) 337-5566 Classi ed Advertising: (905) 632-4440 Circulation: 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington (905) 631-6095 Volume 51 | Number 39 The Oakville Beaver is a division of Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Vice ­President and Group Publisher of Metroland West Regional General Manager Halton Region Editor in Chief Advertising Director NEIL OLIVER DAVID HARVEY JILL DAVIS DANIEL BAIRD Managing Editor ANGELA BLACKBURN RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director Business Manager Director of Production SANDY PARE MARK DILLS Letters to the Editor MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager Director of Distribution CHARLENE HALL KIM MOSSMAN Circulation Manager Much could have been different Re: "Town was ready to block plant," Oakville Beaver, Wednesday, March 20, 2013. At the hearing into the costly gas plant scandal, Oakville Mayor Rob Burton echoed the Liberal refrain that things could not have been done better. Although the new Premier has stated decisions about the power plants were made by the Liberal government for political purposes, many Liberals continue to reject responsibility for the scandal their government created. Here are just some of the ways the Liberal government could have handled the Oakville power plant proposal better: · Listened to residents' concerns about the health risks of a local air shed overtaxed with pollutants -- concerns going back almost a decade to when the current mayor opposed a previously-planned site near the Oakville-Mississauga border. Then they could have waited until a task force reported on ways to reduce pollution in the area before deciding to go ahead with the plant. They could also have mandated a full environmental assessment for the project. · Picked a safer location much farther away from homes, particularly when you have just ruled wind turbines should be placed much further from homes than was the plan for the Oakville gas plant. · Appointed someone as head of the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) who is not the head of a construction company that builds power plants. · Consulted with the Town of Oakville before signing a contract. This could have included getting (as the mayor chastises) a building permit before signing a contract. · Announced the cancellation at a different time rather than in the middle of a local election campaign for the positions of mayor and councillors. · Stood up as a government and answered questions in public. Instead of this, the Liberal government shut down democratic debate while the premier and former energy minister packed their bags and ran away. Proud Official Media Sponsor For: Canadian Circulations Audit Board Member Recognized for Excellence by Ontario Community Newspapers Association Canadian Community Newspapers Association Proud Official Media Sponsor For: ATHENA Award Brian Hopkins, Oakville The Oakville Beaver welcomes letters from it's readers. Letters will be edited for clarity, length, legal considerations and grammar. In order to be published all letters must contain the name, address and phone number of the author. Letters should be addressed to: The Editor, Oakville Beaver, 467 Speers Rd., Oakville ON, L6K 3S4, or via e-mail to; ablackburn@oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. The Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone 416-340-1981. 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