My take from Toronto-
Yes, garbage is a bit of a pain, and only every other week, switching off with recycling. We've always kept it outside, so not a big issue with smell. Garbage also costs $250-550/bin/year, depending on bin size. Compostables are every week.
Recycling is free, so you do see some people who mysteriously have many large recycling bins, and only one garbage bin. When they first introduced these bins 15-20 years ago, I remember there was some enforcement and some people got violation notices for putting their garbage in recycling bins, but I haven't heard of any enforcement in years now. Not saying you should do that, but that is the solution that some seem to have found.
Side note- I remember being in Montebello NY (near Monsey) once, and seeing a garbage truck stop at someone's house, and the driver walked up to the side of their house, brought the bins out to the street, and then put them back. I imagine that person must have given the garbage man a nice gift to get that kind of service, but it was still shocking to me. Here in Toronto you'd be lucky if they turn your bin around, if you forgot to put it facing out on the curb. Some drivers just won't take it.
For diapers you can request a special pickup.
Interesting. Never heard of that, and I've lived here pretty much my whole life. We put them in the green bin, which is picked up every week.
Erev Pesach is always a issue.
Yes. There's private pickup ($$) or you can drive your garbage to the dump, which is 10-15 min away from much of the community.
Not to mention the smell in the garage all summer from the garbage sitting in the heat.
You don't have anywhere outdoors to keep it?
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