Achi news desk-
ETHBRIDGE, ALTA. –
The City of Lethbridge is calling the first year of its curbside organic waste collection program a success.
“Six million kilograms of organic waste in the green cart program, which equates to about 175 kilograms per household on average,” said James Nicholls, waste collections and environment manager with the City of Lethbridge.
Out of that, around 56,000 kilograms of compost has been given back to the community.
“We’ve seen over 85 per cent of residents using their green cart, which again, is a big change,” said Nicholls.
“We’ve asked a lot of Lethbridge residents and the majority of people have really stepped up.”
But with the move to bi-weekly increases throughout the winter, the city saw that number drop.
Nicholls says food waste continues to account for 30 per cent of the material collected in the black cart.
“Working with residents and understanding change takes time,” he said. “During the winter months, especially, we see an opportunity to grow.”
In 2018, the city created a waste diversion target which aims to divert 50 per cent of the waste generated in Lethbridge by 2030.
“Green bins and the organics collection program are part of the overall success that Lethbridge can talk about in terms of waste diversion over the last few years,” said Kathleen Sheppard, executive director of Environment Lethbridge.
Sheppard attributes that growth to the blue cart campaign in 2019, along with last year’s green carts.
She says along with waste diversion, Earth Day is a way to remind people about the changing seasons and prepare for the coming spring and summer – whether inside or outside their homes. .
“If you’re a homeowner with a garden, now is the time you need to think about how you’re going to get through this summer with less water,” he explained.
“You need to be making those plans, thinking about rain barrels, you need to be thinking about how you’re going to be changing your watering procedures in your garden so that you can have the best experience at the end of the summer.”
With weekly collection starting next week, Nicholls says there is still one item being found that cannot be composted.
“Plastic bags are the biggest source of contamination,” he said. “So, we still see, from time to time, plastic bags making their way into the organic stream, however, that’s a four percent rate, is the last contamination rate we had .”
