We had a resident come in this morning and ask why they could not use clear trash bags for trash. The front of the box of clear trash bags showed pictures of these bags filled with leaves and with empty water bottles. The main problem with these bags is not that they are clear, it is that they are meant for leaves and light materials. They are not very thick and the seams are not well sealed. They are perfectly suitable for leaves; we do prefer a heavier gauge trash bag for general trash usage.
We have residents here who repeatedly load up the clear leaf-type bags with about 30 pounds of trash; the result is these bags tear open and we have to clean up the streets or the front of the compactor. This is why they were mentioned in the latest Notice sent out to all addresses. This same phrasing has been used in the previous Notice sent out in November 2105, which said:
Please do not use clear leaf bags for trash; they are made for leaves and will tear open if used for trash. Regular trash bags are preferred, tied/secured properly. Contractor bags are too big.
The April 2016 Notice that just went out says exactly the same thing as in November 2015. It asks to please not use clear leaf bags. It does not prohibit the use of clear leaf bags as such.