After approving a new biohazard cleanup fee last month, the city has defined what it means.
Tuesday, Timmins council approved a change to the Property Standards bylaw to add the definition.
According to it, a biohazard is "rubbish or debris" with more than 25 needles or similar sharp objects, or "rubbish or debris (that) may be scattered or piled in a manner that the officer cannot easily identify the rubbish or debris as household garbage."
The change to the Property Standards bylaw was needed for the new $500 biohazard fee that was approved by council in November to be applied.
The fee, which would be charged to the property owner, was added to the 2021-2025 user fee bylaw.
At the November meeting, clerk Steph Palmateer explained there have been a number of property cleanups with significant garbage "littered with needles and other sharps".
“Most recently we had a property where we had to clean up the garbage and we had to pick up 800 needles," he said.
"I know that many people believe that this is a homeless issue. Let me assure you these needles were not left by homeless, this was not a homeless encampment. This was basically a small apartment complex where tenants are just throwing garbage out the window into the backyard. We provide free garbage pickup, I don’t understand that thought process, but believe me it’s out there. We have to clean it up so we would like to have this fee so we can go after the landlords and make them a bit more accountable for what their tenants are doing."
