Watch above: Saskatoon councillors ponder city-wide composting
SASKATOON – A report is being presented at Saskatoon’s environment, utilities and corporate affairs committee meeting Tuesday. It highlights three options for organic waste collection.
The first is voluntary food and yard waste collection at a cost of between $13 and $25 a month; the second is a mandatory food waste collection with optional yard collection for under $10 a month; and the third is mandatory for both types of waste for around $12 a month.
“What we’re really doing, is taking this out to the community, asking citizens what they think,” explained Catherine Gryba, with the city.
“There are a number of cities across North America that do have a full composting program and there are a number of cities that are just dipping their toe in it as we are,” said Gryba.
“What we’ve heard is if there’s buy-in from the community, the program is very successful.”.
The executive director of the Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council said the organic waste that goes into the landfill every week is causing problems.
“Between 30 and 50 per cent of (food and yard waste) goes into the landfill,” Joanne Fedyk explained.
“They cause methane, which is one of the more powerful greenhouse gases, because there’s no air in the landfill.”
She said a mandatory compost collection program would go a long way in reducing the gases and extending the life of the landfill.
“There’s a lot of people who – if you give them a bin – they will use it, but they may not go to the effort of the voluntary program,” said Fedyk.
The city is preparing to hold open houses to find out where residents stand on the issue.
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