All apartments were to receive organic waste collection by end of 2010
Could now be phased in by 2011 to reduce budget costs
By Kris Scheuer
(Originally written Nov.13.08 with update Oct. 20/09 for Town Crier.)
A plan to roll out green bin service in apartments is key to decreasing how much waste ends up in landfill.
When I first reported on this almost a year ago, the city planned to roll out organic waste collection in 300 buildings each month until all 4,500 multi-unit residential complexes were on board.
This was expected to divert an additional 30,000 tonnes of organic waste from landfill, according to city stats.
And it was meant to double the waste diversion rate in multi residential apartments from 13 percent to 26 percent. In other words, more organic collection means less food ending up in landfill.
This Monday Oct. 19, I was at the city’s budget committee and I will be back there tomorrow listening to the solid waste management’s capital and operating plan for 2010. So far it includes slowing down the implementation of the green bin program for apartments for at least two reasons:
Firstly, the city needs to build another organic processing plant in order to handle the increase collection of organic waste.
Secondly, it will save money to slow down the roll out, which will help keep a proposed garbage fee hike at 2 percent rather than 3.5.
Keep in mind that nothing has been approved yet…
I will keep you posted on both the fee hike and delays in implementing the green bin collection for 510,000 residents who live in apartments.
Kris Scheuer 