‘Hang on and try them’: Saskatoon still rolling out new green carts

Sixty per cent of Saskatoon homes have received their green carts and kitchen pail for the new organic waste program in the city.

The goal is to divert organic waste away from the Saskatoon landfill.

Brendan Lemke, director of water and waste operations, said the city has had approximately 120 households try to refuse the delivery of their cart because the residents are already composting, or they feel they don’t have the space for another cart.

“At this point, we are encouraging them to hang on and try them out,” Lemke said.

He noted many other municipalities have been through the same process.

“What they have learned is to give residents time to adjust and figure it out. We saw this with our recycling carts, and it just takes a matter of time for people to learn the new normal and how easy it is to divert the waste.

“We really want to champion this idea of diversion and say the cost associated with the landfill and operating it, if we can avoid putting things in the landfill, it’s ultimately in the best interest of all of our residents.”

In the past, Lemke said the program has the potential to prevent 20,000 tonnes of organic material from the landfill each year and potentially eliminate the need for a new landfill.

A monthly average utility fee of $6.73 will start appearing on utility bills in May to cover program management and education.

While households can’t refuse their carts at the moment, they will be able to revisit the idea in fall of 2023 if they decide they don’t want to keep their cart.

However, Lemke said if the reason they are refusing their cart is simply because they don’t want to take part in the program, they will still be charged the utility fee.

“We continue to say that this is about a greater good for the city and we just can’t, at a reasonable cost, bring a unique program for every individual household.”

The rules and fees will be more flexible for townhouses and other complexes that would prefer to share a cart.

All eligible households can expect their bin by the end of April.

A pilot program is in the planning stage for the future of green carts for apartment buildings and condos in the city.

Lemke noted if things go well, that could roll out in 2024.

Green cart collection will begin in May. It can also be dropped off for free at city compost depots.

— with files from Global News’ Brody Langager

1:29 Are you familiar with the Green Cart program?