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What changes have been made to the Kitchen Waste Collection Program?
Why do we need the Kitchen Waste Collection Program?
Who can use this service?
What exactly can I put in my green waste cart?
What is the best way to collect food scraps?
Will my collection day change?
Why should I collect food waste in my green waste cart instead of putting it in the garbage or in my garbage disposal?
Does food waste attract animals?
What about flies and other insects?
Won't food waste smell if I put it in my green waste cart?
What if I have no yard waste?
What happens to the food and yard waste after it is collected?
What changes have been made to the Kitchen Waste Collection Program?
As of November 2, 2009, Port Coquitlam residents who receive waste collection services from the City can put all leftover food scraps and food-soiled papers into their green waste carts. That means residents can put meats, dairy, bones, soiled pizza boxes and other items in their green waste carts, in addition to yard waste and vegetable and fruit scraps. See below for a complete list of what is and is not accepted in your green waste cart.
Why do we need the Kitchen Waste Collection Program?
The City of Port Coquitlam became the first city in Metro Vancouver to offer curbside collection of fruit and vegetable scraps in July 2008. On November 2, 2009 we became the first city in the region to collect all food scraps, including meats, bones and food-soiled papers.
Curbside kitchen waste collection plays an important role in the City’s waste-reduction efforts, which include the introduction of biweekly garbage pickup on January 2, 2010.
The City launched these waste-reduction initiatives for two key reasons:
- To divert more household waste from the landfill.
- To protect taxpayers from rising garbage disposal costs.
Keeping it out of the landfill
- Studies show 47% of garbage is compostable organic material.
- In conjunction with biweekly garbage pickup beginning in January 2010, the expanded program will help to keep 2,400 tonnes of household waste out of the landfill each year.
- While backyard composting is preferred because it is best to address waste at the source, the City realizes it is not feasible for all residents.
In a pilot study of 200 households in the summer of 2009, participants diverted almost 65% of their household waste into their green waste and recycling carts. The introduction of expanded kitchen waste collection on November 2, 2009 will bring the City even closer to achieving the 70% diversion rate mandated by Metro Vancouver.
Waste disposal is costly
- Taxpayers directly fund City garbage, recycling and green waste collection and disposal on their annual property tax bills.
- Keeping your kitchen waste out of the garbage will save you money. Rates for garbage disposal are increasing from $72/tonne to $82/tonne in 2010; by 2014, this cost is expected to rise to $130/tonne. Meanwhile, the processing and transportation of green waste costs $52/tonne.
- In 2008, the City sent 7,582 tonnes of garbage to the landfill at a cost of $538,322. In conjunction with alternate-week garbage pickup beginning in January 2010, the new program could save as much as $225,000 over five years.
Who can use this service? What exactly can I put in my green waste cart?
The Kitchen Waste Collection Program is available to all households eligible to receive green waste collection. This does not include multi-family residences, which do not pay for garbage pickup in their municipal taxes.
Food-soiled papers (uncoated paper products soiled with food), such as:
Note: please put clean paper/cardboard in recycling cart.
- Grass
- Leaves and weed
- Prunings and houseplants
- Branches up to 4" in diameter and 40" long
Items not accepted:
What is the best way to collect food scraps?
Options include:
Plastic bags:
It is not recommended to use a plastic bag to line your kitchen pail, as no plastic bags of any type are allowed in the green waste cart. (This includes compostable and biodegradable plastic-type bags, because they hinder the composting process for our service provider.) Washing your pail after it is emptied is a better method to keep your pail clean.
Your recycling and green waste will continue to be collected on your regular day. Please refer to your Collection Calendar.
Why should I collect food waste in the green waste cart instead of putting it in the garbage or using my garbage disposal?
In addition to significant savings in disposal costs for taxpayers, mixing your food waste with your yard waste has several environmental benefits:
- The recovery of a resource (organic material) from the waste stream.
- Diversion of organic material from the landfill.
- Creation of compost to return humus and nutrients to the soil.
- Reduction of leachate and landfill gas emissions through having less organic material in landfills.
Avoiding the use of in-sink garbage disposals will result in a reduction of wastewater treatment costs and a subsequent reduction in energy use and costs.
Does food waste attract animals?
Placing food scraps in your green waste cart will be no different than putting them in your garbage cart. If you experience problems with wildlife – or if you live in an area targeted by the new Solid Waste Bylaw changes regarding wildlife attractants – store your cart in a wildlife-resistant enclosure or have a City-approved locking device installed. For more information, visit www.portcoquitlam.ca/bears.
What about flies and other insects?
Flies and other insects are attracted to food waste. Your best defense is to keep the lids closed on both your kitchen pail, if you use one, and on your green waste cart. Click here for more problem-solving tips.
Won’t food waste smell if I put it in my green waste cart?
Placing food waste in your green cart is no different than placing it in your garbage. Most of the odours associated with green waste are a result of grass clippings off-gassing ammonia compounds, due to their high nitrogen content.
To mitigate odours, you can:
- Layer your food scraps with yard waste in your cart.
- Wrap meat, bones etc. in newspaper or place in a paper bag or kraft paper liner bag.
- Wash out your cart occassionally.
Click here for more problem-solving tips.
What if I have no yard waste?
You can put food waste in your green waste cart for collection even if you have no yard waste. If your cart is set out by 7:30 am on your day of collection, it will be emptied.
What happens to the food and yard waste after it is collected?
The collected food and yard waste will be composted at a licensed composting facility. The composted materials are blended and sold as various soil amendments, such as topsoil or mulch. To find out more, go to www.fraserrichmond.ca .
For more information on Port Coquitlam's Green Waste Collection, contact:
Operations Division
Tel 604.927.5496
Fax 604.927.5408
Email operations@portcoquitlam.ca
Location and Mailing Address
Operations Centre
1737 Broadway Street
Port Coquitlam BC V3C 2M9
Business Hours
8:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday to Friday (excluding statutory holidays)
