The Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) wants to include curbside recycling and organics pickup in a future garbage collection contract, but there isn’t time to do it for the contract set to start in 2017.
The SCRD’s contract with Direct Disposal is set to expire on Feb. 28, 2017 with no remaining options for extension.
SCRD staff told the infrastructure services committee July 7 that they need to put out a request for proposals (RFP) soon to get a new contract in place, which doesn’t leave enough time to fully explore how to include organics and recycling.
GM of infrastructure services Bryan Shoji said, “Ultimately it would be favourable to integrate those services into a single collection contract; however, as the board is aware, we’re working this year on the organics strategy. We won’t have those items identified in time for the garbage collection contract issue, so we’re planning on issuing the contract for one year.”
As well as needing time to complete the organics strategy, SCRD staff say there needs to be an opportunity for public input.
They also want to talk with their counterparts in the District of Sechelt about what’s been learned from its organics collection pilot and with officials in the Town of Gibsons about the work of its zero waste select committee.
A staff report presented at the meeting points out that the Solid Waste Management Plan (SWMP) says between 65 and 69 per cent of solid waste should be diverted from landfills by the end of 2016. The targets are based on having recycling and organics collection in place for at least Halfmoon Bay and Roberts Creek (meeting the higher target would require expansion into all SCRD rural areas). The SWMP envisions moving to weekly pickup for organics, and alternating bi-weekly pickup for garbage and recycling.
The report also includes data from a 2014 study of what’s showing up at the Sechelt landfill. It shows 31 to 36 per cent of residential garbage is food scraps and kitchen waste, and 20 to 28 per cent is recyclables.
Roberts Creek director Mark Lebbell said he’s looking forward to hearing more from Sechelt and Gibsons, and from his own constituents – especially on how to deal with organics.
Gibsons director Silas White also chairs the Town’s zero waste committee, which is expected to release its recommendations later this month. Gibsons’ current garbage collection contract also expires in 2017.
“It would be worthwhile having a motion coming from this [SCRD] committee that the SCRD approach the Town about collaborating on a garbage collection RFP in 2017,” White noted. “I think the discussions would be fruitful and possibly lower costs for all of us.”
There wasn’t a motion, but Shoji told directors staff will keep the possibility in mind as they work on the RFP.
