Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) directors are backing an organics diversion timeline that could see homeowners banned from throwing organic waste in the garbage as early as sometime in 2020.
The SCRD’s infrastructure services committee had the organics diversion strategy in front of it again Dec. 21, after the board deferred adoption of a timeline to allow for an Oct. 24 intergovernmental workshop.
Regional district staff prepared four options following the workshop and recommended directors support the option that includes:
• A commercial food waste ban for the landfill with the establishment of an organics drop-off for Area A, as well as drop-offs in the Gibsons and Sechelt areas to service tourists, island residents and others, this year.
• Residential curbside food waste collection in the other rural areas, accompanied by a food waste reduction campaign and possible backyard composter subsidies in 2019.
• A residential food waste ban in 2020, but with the proviso that no ban should be imposed until curbside collection is available.
The staff analysis concluded those actions would divert about 2,301 tonnes of waste per year from the Sechelt landfill, extending its lifespan by about 15 months.
SCRD chair, and Sechelt mayor, Bruce Milne acknowledged that the bans may not do much, but it’s still worth proceeding. “It’s a bit disappointing, but I think it’s something that culturally and socially is rising higher on the agenda.”
Sechelt already has curbside organics collection in some areas. Gibsons council recently voted to negotiate a town-side system to start in March.
Former chair, and Halfmoon Bay director, Garry Nohr was more skeptical about getting public buy-in for backyard composting. “I think organics might be OK for some people… A lot of people compost on their own and do very well at it, but there are others who are not. And this again is us forcing them to change the way they do things,” he said, adding that it may be worth looking at combining organics and curbside recycling pick-up.
Mark Lebbell of Roberts Creek likened all the changes being discussed by local governments to a “great Sunshine Coast garbage reorganization.” He said beyond a short extension to the landfill’s life, there are other benefits that will continue 20 or 30 years.
Nohr was the only director to vote against endorsing the staff-proposed option.
The recommendation is now expected to go to the full board for ratification later this month, before going on to the budget.
