Some Ottawa residents are complaining about garbage piling up only 17 days after the city implemented its bi-weekly garbage collection program.

Sheldon Mulligan says it'll take some time to adjust to the new garbage collection program, but that it's worth it. (CBC)

The reduction in service is supposed to save the city about $10 million per year, extend the life of the Trail Road landfill, and encourage people to reduce, reuse and recycle.

Shelby Almon lives in an apartment building with a garbage room.

"It smells, it smells really bad," she said. "It's full of garbage from the back to the front, and we've got garbage cans in there and we've got to keep moving them out of the way because there's no room to keep putting smaller bags in."

Rebekah North said that while she's in favour of the change in service, it's a messy learning process.

"There's not much venitlation in garbage rooms in different facilities in Ottawa, so that would be one concern," North said.

People can be fined for dumping trash

"I think we've had it pretty easy over the years, and there's going to be some adjustment required for this, but again, it's a step in the right direction, I think," said Sheldon Mulligan.

Some garbage cans on city property are being filled to the brim, along with private dumpsters.

A manager at Lebrun Service Center on St. Laurent Boulevard said a neighbour has been dropping bags of garbage on their property.

"We don't see this often," said Coun. Maria McRae. "To the people dumping on businesses, show some respect for small business people. It is not appropriate to burden them with that extra expense, and it's certainly not appropriate to burden the city by dumping it in our city parks or on city property as well."

Crime Prevention Ottawa said fines for dumping trash can be upwards of $300, and they recommend reporting any dumping to bylaw services right away.

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