Currently, RDCO collects yard waste from green bins only Kamloops will begin curbside collection of household organic waste late next year, but the Kelowna region still only collects yard waste in green bins. However, a feasibility study is underway. “We currently have a consultant working for us who is doing a feasibility study on food waste,” said Cynthia Coates, waste reduction manager for the Central Okanagan Regional District. “So that’s in the works right now and we hope to be in front of the board in the fall on the results of that.” The consultant is reviewing the current model, which involves the collection of greenhouse gases from the Glenmore Landfill, which are then converted into renewable natural gas by FortisBC. This helps offset household organic waste that goes to landfill. “They’re going to look at a number of different parameters to determine whether taking food waste out of our garbage makes sense environmentally, economically and socially,” Coates notes. For years, RDCO has also encouraged backyard composting, but Coates admits it has limitations, especially when you consider that many people don’t have yards. “And of course, you can’t compost all the food scraps that come out of your house. We don’t recommend composting cooked food and scraps and soiled papers and that sort of thing. So there’s still a portion of our household waste that wouldn’t be suitable for backyard composting.” In some cities, like Calgary for example, almost anything that is biodegradable can go in green bins, including paper plates, meat, bones and even pet excrement. This city has the largest composting facility of its kind in Canada. The facility produces high-quality compost from both food and yard waste collected by the Green Cart program and dehydrated biosolids, a nutrient-rich byproduct of wastewater treatment. In Kamloops, a pilot program in some communities saw more than three kilograms of organic waste collected each week from each pilot household, made up of 75 percent food scraps and 25 percent yard waste. People moving to the Kelowna area from other parts of the country sometimes don’t realize that there is no household organics recycling. “I think there are some newcomers who come from other areas that have food waste collection that may not immediately realize that it’s just a yard waste cart,” Coates said. “Sometimes you see a little bit of food waste in there, but most of the time people are doing a really good job.” Coates says the feasibility study should be completed soon. “We are looking for a recommendation from this study and that will determine our next steps.”
