Effective November 2, Port Coquitlam initiated the first recycling program in Metro Vancouver that permits inclusion of non-vegetable kitchen waste – such as meat scraps, butter, and food-soiled packaging – in green waste carts.
The second, less popular part of the initiative will be the introduction of biweekly garbage pickup, effective January 2, 2010. Some residents have suggested that reduced service be accompanied by reduced taxes, but in an interview with the Tri-City News, PoCo Mayor Greg Moore responded, “We’re still collecting all the garbage. If you produced 100 pounds this year, we’re still going to collect 100 pounds next year.” He went on to note that these initiatives will protect taxpayers from waste removal costs that are expected to rise 14% in 2010 and another 50% by 2014, as space in the Vancouver and Cache Creek landfills rapidly disappears.
What about PoMo and Coquitlam?
Port Coquitlam is the second of the TriCities to respond to Metro Vancouver’s Zero Waste Challenge with significant changes to local garbage rules. Effective January 1, 2008, the Zero Waste Challenge included a ban on recyclable waste in garbage headed for landfills, and fines against cities allowing it. The City of Port Moody took action in July, 2009 by reducing the allowable size of garbage carts to 120 litres, increasing recycling carts to 240 litres, and permitting up to 480 litres of yard and kitchen waste.
The City of Coquitlam intends to pilot a similar approach to waste collection within the next year or two, and collection of all food scraps will likely be available within a year, says Bridget Mitchell, recycling and waste reduction office for the city. PoCo and PoMo have automated their waste collection, while the cost of automating in the larger city of requires a bit more time for study and implementation, she says.
"One nice thing about manual collection is that it allows for curbside screening — we can see if there's something in the garbage that shouldn't be there," says Mitchell. Homeowners then receive a follow-up letter, which provides the city with an opportunity to do a bit of education.
Metro Vancouver and Coquitlam Home Depot Partner on Wood Recycling Pilot Project
In a separate TriCities recycling development, Coquitlam Home Depot provided the site for a two-month pilot partnership with Metro Vancouver to set up a collection point where wood waste from home renovations can be dropped off for recycling. With the growth of the home reno market, wood waste is at an all-time high. Over 20 percent of Metro Vancouver’s waste is wood – enough to fill over 15,000 dump trucks. It not only takes up a lot of space in landfills, but generates a significant amount of methane, a greenhouse gas that is 20 times more powerful than carbon dioxide, as it decomposes.
Greg Valou, communications officer for Metro Vancouver, said the project with Home Depot “went really well. It was surprising how much wood people brought in – up to 5 tonnes a day.” The project concluded September 30, and a report will go to Metro’s Waste Management Committee on November 18.
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